South Carolina women's preview

#1 South Carolina travels to Charlotte to face #9 NC State. It's the first game back for Gamecocks junior forward Ashlyn Watkins, whose suspension was lifted Wednesday.  In April, the Gamecocks beat the Wolfpack 78-59 in the national semifinals in Cleveland, and Watkins had 20 rebounds.   Last season, she averaged 9.2 points and 7.4 rebounds and blocked 91 shots, which was an SEC best.

This game will be decided by the guards since the Wolfpack return their most reliable player, senior guard Aziaha James, who averaged 16.8 points last season, the eighth-best in the ACC.  She scored 20 points against South Carolina in the Final Four.  Saniya Rivers returns after averaging 12.5 points last season. She scored 17 points and grabbed nine rebounds in the season opener against East Tennessee State on Tuesday.   She spent the 2021-22 season with the Gamecocks under Staley before joining NC State.   On Tuesday, sophomore Zoe Brooks scored 21 points to complete the trio from last year.

There are three starting guards returning for the Gamecocks in Raven Johnson, Bree Hall, and Te-Hina Paopao, as well as sophomores Tessa Johnson and MiLaysia Fulwiley, who are threats off the bench.  Last time these teams met, Raven Johnson had 13 points and Paopao had 10.  Joyce Edwards will definitely play a big role in tomorrow's game as well and I believe that she will have quite an impact on the outcome.

Taking place at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, the game is set to air on ESPN at 3 p.m. today.