Will Tennessee Take the Leap Against South Carolina?
Tennessee’s current ranking seems like they have the potential to challenge for a top spot alongside South Carolina. If the focus shifted from their losses to their victories, Tennessee could position themselves for an unexpected and exciting matchup against South Carolina. However, their games against South Carolina have been close, often decided by one or two points, highlighting their ability to compete at a high level. While Tennessee is currently on a bit of a losing streak, ranked No. 17, they are still performing better than several teams ranked below them. In the SEC, they hold a record of 3-4, which isn't terrible but leaves room for improvement. In their recent games against Texas, Tennessee lost 80-76. A key factor in that game was their struggle with three-point shooting, making only two out of their usual average of 12. Despite their downfalls, players like Talaysia Cooper and Lazaria Spearman stepped up as top scorers, keeping the game competitive. On the Texas side, Madison Booker became a challenge defensively as always, but Cooper with her skills navigated around her the best way she could, contributing a significant amount of points to keep the score tied at various moments. Tennessee’s performance highlights both their determination and the areas they need to address to continue climbing the ranks the best way they can.
Tennessee has what it takes to have a player like Spearman, Sara Puckett, and Cooper on their team to cover them. However, if you don't have a strong offense and defense, it will be a hard task to juggle through many hoops with South Carolina. Staley has a strong bench lineup and starting five, with all having high field goal percentages as well as assists and rebounds on their team. This matchup will give Tennessee a run for everything they have with this game. The way Tennessee played Texas, cutting corners, doing fast breaks, and more, they're going to have to bring it to Carolinas. Tennessee will have to be strong to put up a fight with South Carolina so they can take their undefeated title. Dawn Staley has a perfect team, and she’s all about the game of basketball, but she's all about working hard and putting in that work. She focuses on bringing home a victory every time. Her team coordinates so well when they work together on the court; you don't have other teams out there just like them, it's impossible. It's going to be hard for Tennessee to even attempt to play zone with the hardest offensive team in the country. Ruby Whitehorn can also be another asset for Tennessee playing South Carolina by averaging 13.5 points a game and 4.5 rebounds.
South Carolina only lost one game against UCLA, and it did not stop them. Their recent win against Oklahoma was a big blowout with a score of 101-60; it wasn’t a hard task South Carolina could not handle. Many of the teams that have played weren’t on South Carolina’s level to go up against. South Carolina has continued to build on its success, working to maintain its position at the top. An impact on their achievements lies in the strategic coaching that guides the players to perform at their best. This upcoming matchup against Tennessee will be another victory for South Carolina, but the outcome will ultimately be decided on Monday night when they face off on Tennessee’s home court. While South Carolina holds a strong statistical advantage in the rankings, there’s always room for surprises. Tennessee may have made improvements, potentially getting them to maintain momentum throughout the entire game rather than fall short in the second half, a pattern that previously gave South Carolina the edge.
