No. 2 South Carolina tallied a convincing 67-50 win over No. 5 Texas in Sunday’s marquee SEC matchup. This was the Gamecocks’ 67th straight victory at home and their record-extending 51st consecutive SEC regular-season win.
Te-Hina Paopao and Chloe Kitts led South Carolina with 11 points apiece, while freshman Joyce Edwards added 10 points off the bench. Defensively, the biggest highlight was Bree Hall holding Texas star Madison Booker to just 3 of 19 shooting.
After its worst offensive performance of the season, Texas fell to 16-2 and 3-1 in the SEC. The Longhorns will try to bounce back Thursday when they face Auburn on the road.
South Carolina improved to 16-1 and 4-0 in conference play. The Gamecocks passed the test against Texas, but their next four games are also against ranked opponents. Dawn Staley’s group will face No. 18 Alabama on Thursday. Later this month, South Carolina will have to face No. 6 LSU — one of the last three major undefeated teams in women’s college basketball.
Here are three takeaways from Sunday’s game.
Booker, Texas fall flat on offense The Longhorns opened the game with their lowest-scoring quarter of the season, mustering only nine points on 4 of 26 from the field. Madison Booker, the team’s leading scorer, went 0 for 8 in those 10 first-quarter minutes. Texas found itself in a 18-9 deficit after the opening frame and never quite the momentum it needed afterward.
Vic Schaefer’s team did not see much improvement in the second quarter as they finished the half 10 of 44 from the field. South Carolina entered the break with a 39-22 advantage on 15 of 21 shooting. Texas did have some good looking shots, but the players seemed rattled and the ball just wasn’t going in.
That was Texas’ lowest scoring half since its 2021 Elite Eight matchup against the Gamecocks, which South Carolina won 62-34.
Booker finished the game with seven points on 3 of 19 shooting, marking the most missed field goals in the sophomore’s career. South Carolina senior guard Bree Hall deserves a lot of the credit as her primary defender. While she didn’t exactly stand out in the box score, those who watched the game saw how impactful Hall was in rattling Booker.
South Carolina rides 10-player rotation to glory The Gamecocks starters did their job with Paopao as an efficient scorer and Kitts matching her team-high 11 points. Raven Johnson flirted with a double-double with eight points and 10 rebounds, and as previously discussed, Hall did an excellent job defending Madison Booker. Meanwhile, Sania Feagin accomplished a little big of everything with eight points, nine rebounds, three assists, six blocks and one steal.
But this being South Carolina, the highlights don’t stop there. The Gamecocks entered this game averaging 43.4 points off the bench, tops in Division I. Eight Gamecocks scored against Texas on Sunday, and seven of them tallied at least seven points.
Edwards comes off the bench but has been the team’s leading scorer this season. The freshman scored 10 points on Sunday, which was her 11th game reaching double figures in scoring. With Ashlyn Watkins done for the season because of a torn ACL, Edwards’ role on the team will continue to grow.
Meanwhile, MiLaysia Fulwiley gave the Gamecocks eight points, four rebounds and three steals while showing off her athleticism and how good she is in transition. Her mere presence on the floor brings energy to the team and the crowd. As Staley has said multiple times before, her bench players have the talent to be starters on any program.
Gamecocks prevail despite mistakes It says a lot that Staley’s group had 28 less field goal attempts than Texas and still dominated the game. South Carolina won handily despite committing mistakes that would have been costly for many other teams.
The first quarter wasn’t just Texas struggling, as South Carolina had a four-minute field goal drought late in the period. The team also had a slow start after the break. Over the first two-and-a-half minutes of the third quarter, the Gamecocks had three turnovers and zero points.
By the end of the day, South Carolina registered a total of 22 turnovers and just 12 assists. Texas also beat South Carolina 20-6 on the offensive glass. The Gamecocks had zero second-chance points in the first three quarters.
Pittsburgh pulled off a stunning 72-59 victory over SMU after overcoming a 32-point deficit on Sunday. That was tied for the largest comeback in NCAA women’s basketball history.
The last time a 32-point comeback happened was in 2006, when Texas State rallied to beat UTSA 73-71 in overtime.
The Panthers (9-9, 1-4 ACC) found their biggest deficit of the game at 46-14, with a minute to go in the second quarter. They went 6 for 28 in the first half, and Pitt guard Marley Washenitz admitted in a postgame interview that her team returned to the locker room not feeling too confident.
“We knew we had come come out and we had to change something. We were definitely deflated coming into halftime; even at halftime we were deflated” Washenitz said. “We were down. Coach said at halftime, ‘We just need one person to ignite us, we need one player to ignite us.'”
Washenitz turned out to be that person. She hit a 3-pointer early into the second half, and Mikayla Johnson made another one on Pitt’s next possession. The team went on to score 28 points in the third quarter while holding the Mustangs (10-7, 2-3 ACC) scoreless.
“Coming down and hitting that 3 — after myself and the team were struggling — to hit shots in general, I think that really ignited us,” Washenitz said. “From there, I think we just really took off, and being able to hold them to zero points in one quarter is something I wish we could do every quarter.”
Johnson led Pitt’s offense with 22 points while center Khadija Faye added 21. Faye completed a double-double with 12 rebounds and also tied her career-high with six blocks. Meanwhile, Washenitz tallied 14 points and a team-high three steals.
Pitt won’t have too much time to celebrate because it has a road game against No. 21 NC State on Thursday. SMU also has a tough test on Thursday as the Mustangs host No. 19 North Carolina.
As we approach the midway mark of the 2024-25 women’s college basketball season, several freshmen are rounding into form and finding comfort in their respective roles.
For this week’s Freshmen Tracker, we take a look at a few first-year players who have seemingly found their footing and are contributing to wins for programs. This includes an acclaimed 2024 recruit who is starting to set the nets on fire in the Big Ten.
Jaloni Cambridge, Ohio State
Jaloni Cambridge is starting to prove why she was one of the most heralded recruits of the 2024 class.
On Wednesday, she led the No. 9 Buckeyes into the Crisler Center to take on their rival, No. 24 Michigan. Not only did Ohio State leave with an 84-77 win over a ranked opponent, but Cambridge also led all scorers with 29 points.
This offensive explosion added to signs that Cambridge might be finding her footing now that the season is inching toward the midway mark. Since her lackluster showing against Rutgers, Cambridge is averaging close to 21 points in the last three games, including the 13 points she scored against Oregon on Sunday.
In the process, the 16-0 Buckeyes are undefeated in Big Ten conference play (5-0) and are holding their ground as a top-10 team.
No. 9 Ohio State will play Wisconsin on Thursday.
Tilda Trygger, NC State
No. 21 NC State is wading through the ACC’s tough waters. In doing so, they’re getting an unexpected spark from freshman Tilda Trygger.
On Thursday, the Wolfpack was handed a 78-71 loss by No. 24 Cal. But despite only getting two points from their bench, NC State got signs of hope from its 6-foot-6 first-year center.
Trygger had a 19-point, 10-rebound double-double against Cal, which included four made 3-pointers and a blocked shot. Thursday’s outing was the second of three-straight games in which Trygger scored in double figures. This, combined with her ability to stay on the floor (she’s averaging 28 minutess in the past three games), gives the impression that Trygger could be a productive piece for a team that’s looking to shock some people this spring.
No. 21 NC State will play Pittsburgh on Thursday.
Kennedy Smith, USC
In a game where No. 4 USC needed every bucket it could get, freshmen Kennedy Smith put together a stat-line that was louder than the numbers look.
Smith poured in a much-needed 11 points to help USC squeeze past No. 8 Maryland on Wednesday. The 6-foot-1 guard also grabbed eight rebounds, handed out three assists and poked away one steal. Although her shooting numbers leave something to be desired at 50% from the floor and only 25% from 3, it does seem like Smith is rounding into form at the right time for the Trojans.
At her best, Smith can be the version of herself she displayed against a top-10 team and conference foe: an active player who can impact the game in various ways while also securing extra possession for her team in a tight ball-game. If she leans into this role, then she’ll have a fruitful year for a USC program with championship aspirations.
No. 6 LSU continues to be force in the SEC after squeezing out a close win over a top-20 opponent in No. 16 Tennessee.
For this week’s women’s college basketball Star Power Index, we are diving into how Aneesah Morrow’s monster night for the Tigers only adds to her impressive season. Also, we look at other college basketball stars who are stringing together dominant back-to-back performances.
Aneesah Morrow, LSU
The last-second heroics of Kailyn Gilbert may have given No. 6 LSU the 89-87 win over No. 16 Tennessee, but it was Aneesah Morrow’s monster night that opened the door for this dramatic finish.
Morrow led LSU with 23 points and 21 (yes, 21!) rebounds on Thursday. She did this while playing 38 minutes and shooting close to 53% from the floor.
Morrow’s incredible night adds to the impressive season she’s stringing together for the Tigers. On the year, the forward is averaging 18.4 points and 14.4 rebounds. She’s also hitting 54% of her shots and chipping in 1.4 assists.
At almost halfway through the season, LSU holds an undefeated 18-0 record (3-0 in conference play). And with Morrow at the helm of a talented roster, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Kim Mulkey’s squad is able to bring another championship to Baton Rouge.
No. 6 LSU will play Vanderbilt on Monday.
Alexis Markowski, Nebraska
Nebraska might have just gotten its first signature win of the season, and it wouldn’t have been possible without a dominant performance from senior Alexis Markowski.
The 6-foot-3 center scored a career-high 28 points in the Huskers’ 85-80 win over No. 20 Michigan State on Wednesday. That offensive eruption, along with her eight rebounds, helped give Nebraska its first win over a ranked opponent this season.
Markowski followed up her career night by heading to Rutgers on Sunday, where she put up a 14-point, 14-rebound double-double in a 69-62 Nebraska victory.
On the season, Markowski is averaging 14.4 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists. If these numbers and her play sustains, she’ll be vital in Nebraska’s climb out of the Big Ten basement.
Nebraska will play No. 23 Iowa on Thursday.
Sedona Prince, TCU
TCU went on the road this week and grabbed two big conference wins. Now, the No. 11 Horned Frogs sit atop the Big 12, and a lot of credit can be given to standout center Sedona Prince.
On Wednesday, the 6-foot-7 center scored 30 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in TCU’s 80-73 win over Kansas in Lawrence. Then, on Saturday, TCU returned to Texas to take on Texas Tech in Lubbock.
Similar to her performance against the Jayhawks, Prince was able to dominate the Red Raiders, leading to a 20-point, 10-rebound double-double in a 69-43 blowout win.
Prince isn’t just playing one side of the ball, either. On the season, she’s averaging a team-leading 3.6 blocks, which includes the five shots she turned away on Saturday.
LSU moved into the top five of this week’s women’s AP Top 25 after surviving a tough test against Tennessee. Meanwhile, Texas had its worst offensive day of the season against South Carolina on Sunday and subsequently dropped two spots.
UCLA remains No. 1, but still not unanimously so because No. 3 Notre Dame received two first-place votes. The Bruins are one of three major undefeated teams remaining, along with LSU and Ohio State. The Buckeyes stuck at No. 9 after an 84-77 win over then-No. 25 Michigan on Wednesday.
Cal (+6) saw the biggest jump this week after strong wins over No. 21 NC State and Florida State. Other programs that took a leap are Minnesota and Oklahoma State. Minnesota is ranked for the first time since 2019, while Oklahoma State enters the top 25 for the first time since 2018 after a 64-57 win over West Virginia on Saturday.
Michigan left the rankings following its loss to the Buckeyes. That was the Wolverines’ fourth loss in three weeks. Iowa also dropped out after losing three consecutive games to Maryland, Illinois and Indiana. This shows once again how tough the Big Ten is, as the conference has six ranked teams this week. The ACC also has six teams represented, but the SEC has the most with seven.
Nebraska is back in the CBS Sports women’s college basketball Power Rankings after its win against Michigan State, which gave them the boost they needed. The Cornhuskers had a tough stretch in late December and early January with three consecutive losses, but those were all against teams who are currently in our top 25, including No. 4 USC and No. 1 UCLA.
The Cornhuskers can’t get too comfortable because they have a tough road test against Iowa on Thursday. Jan Jensen’s team was ranked last week, but fell out the top 25 after three straight losses to Maryland, Illinois and Indiana.
Michigan also left the Power Rankings following a loss to Ohio State. The Wolverines’ spot was taken by Oklahoma State since the Cowgirls managed to upset West Virginia 64-57 on Saturday.
North Carolina suffered a 10-point loss to Notre Dame on Jan. 5, but the Tar Heels bounced back with a 53-46 overtime victory against Duke despite their shooting struggles. That win moved Courtney Banghart’s team up to No. 14. Cal had the biggest jump, improving from No. 24 to No. 17 thanks to solid wins over NC State and Florida State.
Tennessee had a heartbreaking week with losses against Oklahoma and LSU by a combined three points. Kim Mulkey’s Tigers were able to avoid overtime and remain perfect this season thanks to Kailyn Gilbert’s last-second game winner. Considering the opponents, how close they were to getting the job done, and the fact that they responded with a 30-point win over Arkansas, the Lady Vols only moved down one spot to No. 16.
Here are the latest CBS Sports women’s college basketball Power Rankings.
In a historic vote Wednesday at the NCAA convention in Nashville, the organization approved a plan to pay women’s basketball teams for making the NCAA Tournament. Men’s basketball teams have been reaping the benefits of the same revenue sharing plan for many years.
The proposal to pay the tournament teams was split into two votes. On the question of whether to establish a fund, all 292 members present voted “yes.” On the question of whether to start payouts with the upcoming 2025 NCAA Tournament, there was one dissenting “no” vote, but the measure still passed easily.
“We’re the lucky ones,” NCAA president Charlie Baker said. “We got to be here on the day it became a reality.” He added that he wants to continue working to grow women’s basketball. “That’s the part I hope, that someday down the road, we all will have someone say about us that they sit on the shoulders of the work that we did.”
Under the plan, teams will be given performance units that represent revenue. Each conference that gets an automatic bid will receive one unit, with additional units awarded for each team receiving an at-large bid. The longer a school’s tournament run lasts, the more units said school’s conference will receive. It is then up to the conference to decide how to split the revenue it receives among its members.
In the first year of the plan, which begins with this season’s tournament, $15 million will be awarded to the tournament teams, which represents 26% of the women’s basketball media deal. By 2028, that will rise to $25 million, or 41% of the media deal.
“The long awaited, hard fought for and well-earned day is here …,” said North Carolina coach Courtney Banghart, the president of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association. “I am so grateful for the effort of so many to bring this reality to our sport. Women’s basketball is more popular than ever before, seats are filled, arenas are sold out and games are on national TV almost every night.”
Women’s basketball, and, in particular, the women’s NCAA Tournament, has surged in popularity over recent years — thanks in large part to superstars such as Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. Last season’s national championship game, which saw South Carolina defeat Clark’s Iowa, drew a record-setting 18.9 million viewers to become the most-watched women’s college basketball game ever. It also outdrew the men’s national championship game for the first time.
The 2025 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament will begin March 19-20 with the First Four and concludes with the Final Four in Tampa, Florida from April 4-6.
Back in November, we discussed how conference realignment and the Pac-12’s fall could lead to conferences like the Big Ten and SEC dominating this year’s NCAA Women’s Tournament selection process.
So far, that’s been exactly the case. With just under two months until Selection Sunday, the Big Ten has 12 teams in the projected field, with the SEC (10) and ACC (nine) not far behind.
This puts multiple conferences in position to break the record for most teams from a single conference in the NCAA Tournament. That mark currently stands at nine, by both the 2011 Big East and 2016 SEC.
At the moment, 34 of the 37 at-large bids are going to just four conferences (Big Ten, ACC, SEC and Big 12). The Big East (three) and Ivy League (two) are the only other conferences with multiple teams in the field.
This trend is true at the top, as well. The SEC is holding six of the top-16 overall seeds in these projections, with the Big Ten (four), ACC (three) and Big 12 (two) each snagging multiple hosting spots as well.
The other major change to this year’s Bracketology is the selection committee’s adoption of the Quadrant System used by the men’s committee since the 2017-18 season.
Instead of NET top-25, top-50 and top-100 records being used as talking points to discuss a team’s quality wins, games will now be sorted into four quadrants based on both the opponent’s NET ranking and game location.
Here is the definition for each quadrant in the women’s game.
Quadrant 1: Home (NET 1-25), neutral (NET 1-35), road (NET 1-45) Quadrant 2: Home (NET 26-55), neutral (NET 36-65), road (NET 46-80) Quadrant 3: Home (NET 56-90), neutral (NET 66-105), road (NET 81-130) Quadrant 4: Home (NET 91+), neutral (NET 106+), road (NET 131+) This is a welcome change that will more accurately reflect the quality of a team’s resume.
If it feels a bit complicated, here’s the cheat sheet version. Teams want to win as many Quadrant 1 and 2 games as possible while avoiding losses in Quadrants 3 and 4. If your team can do that, they’ll be Dancing in due time.
**Bracketology uses games played through Jan. 16
No. 1 seeds *UCLA (17-0, 6-0 Big Ten): NET 4, SOS 47
UCLA is one of three remaining undefeated teams but the only one projected to be a No. 1 seed. Let’s use the quadrant system to explain part of the reason why. The Bruins have four Quad-1 wins. LSU has three and Ohio State has just one.
But going even deeper, UCLA has a 15-point win over South Carolina. It’s easily the best win by any team this season, and it’s the Gamecocks’ only loss over the last two years. It’s this crowning achievement setting the Bruins’ resume apart from the field.
*South Carolina (17-1, 5-0 SEC): NET 1, SOS 1
The reigning national champions never back down from a fight, and their gauntlet of a non-conference schedule plus dominance so far in SEC play has left the Gamecocks with seven Quad-1 wins, two more than any team in the nation.
It’s enough to keep Dawn Staley’s team in the conversation for the top overall seed, even with the loss to UCLA. They’ll be continually tested and are playing both Oklahoma and LSU within the next week.
USC (16-1, 6-0 Big Ten): NET 6, SOS 10
Congratulations to the Big Ten: newcomers UCLA and USC have both been as good as advertised, if not better. Led by the terrifying one-two punch of JuJu Watkins and Kiki Iriafen, USC has won 12 straight games since a loss to Notre Dame and is comfortably a No. 1 seed at this stage in the season.
*Notre Dame (15-2, 6-0 ACC): NET 7, SOS 3
And speaking of the Irish, Notre Dame rounds out the No. 1 seeds. Undefeated on American soil and with better top wins (USC, Texas, UConn) than anyone in the country, Niele Ivey’s team has proven it has an “A-game” capable of winning a national championship.
Having someone in the top-five nationally in each of the major statistics (points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks per game) means there are matchup nightmares all over the court.
No. 2 seeds LSU (19-0, 4-0 SEC): NET 10, SOS 86
LSU has been a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament in each of Kim Mulkey’s first three seasons as coach. In each of the past two years, the Tigers were in contention for a No. 1 seed but needed a signature win against South Carolina to really make the push.
It’s a new year, and LSU remains as strong as ever. Can the Tigers finally slay the dragon? LSU is 0-4 against South Carolina under Mulkey, but three of those games were decided by seven points or fewer.
Texas (17-2, 4-1 SEC): NET 2, SOS 9
The Longhorns have only lost to No. 1 seeds in South Carolina and Notre Dame, but being a No. 1 seed like they were last season requires winning some of those games. In a 67-50 loss at South Carolina last week, no Texas starter scored in double figures, and the team shot just 28% from the field, its worst performance since … the 2021 Elite 8 against South Carolina.
*UConn (16-2, 7-0 Big East): NET 3, SOS 17
Paige Bueckers returned from a two-game absence due to a knee injury Wednesday against St. John’s. The Huskies led by 15 after the first quarter and coasted. Bueckers scored 12 points on just seven shot attempts. It’s been a frustrating few years for UConn — always in contention but falling a bit short. The Huskies will need to be fully healthy to have a chance at going all the way.
Ohio State (17-0, 6-0 Big Ten): NET 11, SOS 102
I understand this might seem like a strange place for an undefeated Big Ten team to be, but the committee will be looking at overall resumes, not just win-loss records. A win at Michigan is nice, but it pales in comparison to the kinds of victories other top teams sport. The Buckeyes are currently slated to play seven more Quad-1 games in the regular season.
No. 3 seeds TCU (18-1, 6-0 Big 12): NET 8, SOS 88
It appears this season’s Big 12 will be won by a team wearing purple. TCU gets the edge over Kansas State in the Bracketology due to the strength of its win against Notre Dame and because its loss (South Carolina) is better than the Wildcats’ (Duke).
TCU’s last regular-season conference title came in 2010, and it hasn’t made the NCAA Tournament since. The latter drought will be broken this season.
*Kansas State (18-1, 6-0 Big 12): NET 5, SOS 100
No team in Division I has a better scoring margin than Kansas State at +32.2. Each of the Wildcats’ 18 wins this season have come by at least 15 points, making their 11-point loss against Duke an outlier 26 points worse than any other game. That streak could continue for a little while — just one of the team’s next four opponents (11-seed Iowa State) is a projected NCAA Tournament team.
Maryland (16-1, 6-1 Big Ten): NET 18, SOS 44
Is Maryland a team capable of making a run to the Final Four? We’ll find out over the ten days, as the Terps face Texas, Ohio State and UCLA in succession. Those three teams, all either No. 1 or No. 2 seeds, have a combined record of 51-2.
They are, of course, also coming off a win against a Minnesota team that entered that game at 16-1. At this stage of the season, a stretch like this is almost unbelievable.
Kentucky (15-1, 4-0 SEC): NET 17, SOS 56
The Kenny Brooks era in Lexington is starting off with a bang. Still undefeated in SEC play, Kentucky is on the path toward one of its best seasons in program history. And with at least 20 points and nine assists in four of her last five games, orchestrator supreme Georgia Amoore is in peak form. However, we’re still weeks away from this team’s biggest tests.
No. 4 seeds Duke (14-4, 5-1 ACC): NET 9, SOS 4
In a 72-38 steamrolling of a California team that may have entered the game as a possible top-four seed, Toby Fournier (23 points) and Ashlon Jackson (16) outscored the Golden Bears by themselves. It was the team’s second-largest win over an AP top 25 team in the last 10 years. With the No. 4 strength of schedule in the country, Duke has great quality wins, but has also four losses taking them down a notch.
North Carolina (16-3, 4-2 ACC): NET 13, SOS 19
The 33 points UNC allowed to SMU on Thursday night were its fewest allowed in a conference game since 2007 against Georgia Tech. One of the tougher defenses in the country, the Tar Heels have allowed over 60 points just four times, including in each of their three losses.
Oklahoma (15-3, 3-2 SEC): NET 14, SOS 16
Right now, Oklahoma sports one of the more interesting resumes. The Sooners have a 4-3 record in Quad-1 games but have yet to face a Quad-2 opponent. They play at a rapid pace and are near the top of the country in both points per game and rebound margin. We’ll see if South Carolina can slow the game down Sunday.
Alabama (16-3, 3-2 SEC): NET 19, SOS 21
The Crimson Tide were within five of South Carolina on Thursday in the fourth quarter before the Gamecocks closed on a 20-7 run, leading to a somewhat deceptive 76-58 final score. It was Alabama’s second loss in three games (also against Texas), but with only a game at Arkansas on the schedule in the next week, the Crimson Tide should be able to bounce back without much trouble.
South Carolina coach Dawn Staley is officially the highest paid coach in the history of women’s college basketball. Her five-year extension, approved on Friday by the school’s board of trustees, will run through 2029-30 and has a value of approximately $25.25 million.
Her annual salary starts at $4 million and there will also be a $250,000 increase every season, as well as a $500,000 signing bonus.
“I’m proud to represent the university of South Carolina and of its investment in women’s basketball,” Staley said in a statement. “What we’ve been able to accomplish on the court is a testament to what can happen when you bring together the right people from a team perspective but also have the right commitment from the University, the Athletics Department and the community to providing that team with everything it needs to be successful.
“…I look forward to continuing to be an example of how an investment in women’s basketball is one that will pay off for everyone.”
South Carolina won the 2024 NCAA Tournament while becoming just the fifth women’s basketball program ever to complete an undefeated season. That was their second national title in three years, and third in the last eight.
The Gamecocks are currently ranked No. 2 in the nation and have only lost four games since the 2021-22 season. They are the hottest team in the SEC with a record 52-game winning streak. South Carolina has also taken care of its home court and won 67 consecutive games in Columbia.
Before Staley’s new contract, LSU’s Kim Mulkey was the highest paid coach with an annual salary of $3,264,000, which she earned by leading the Tigers to a national title in just her second season at the helm of the program. UConn’s Geno Auriemma — the winningest coach in basketball history — is the third highest earning coach while making $3,100,000 annually, as of 2024.
No. 2 South Carolina made another emphatic statement with a 101-60 win over No. 13 Oklahoma on Sunday. That 41-point margin of victory is the largest in school history against a ranked opponent.
South Carolina improved to 18-1 on the season with its only loss coming against UCLA in late November. Dawn Staley’s team has been taking care of business thanks to its deep roster that shares minutes and points every night.
“I’m very confident with the entire roster,” Staley said postgame. “They have a way of playing well together. They prep extremely well. They are finding their footing. They want each other to play well.”
The SEC is a tough conference, and Oklahoma was the Gamecocks’ third consecutive AP top 25 opponent. South Carolina has passed every test with flying colors, and here are some impressive numbers from its historic win over the Sooners.
4 South Carolina has only lost four games since the 2021-22 season. Staley’s new contract extension, which was approved earlier this week, has an annual salary starting at $4 million. She is officially the highest paid coach in women’s college basketball history. 5 Five Gamecocks reached double figures on Sunday, led by freshman Joyce Edwards’ 17 points on 8 of 10 shooting. Sophomore MiLaysia Fulwiley added 15 points and seven assists. 6 South Carolina had only six turnovers Sunday, half the amount the Gamecocks have been averaging this season. That turnover total was also nine less than the Gamecocks recorded in their win over Alabama on Thursday. 7 The Gamecocks have tallied seven wins against AP top 25 opponents this season. Every one of those victories has come by double digits. 10 Ten different Gamecocks scored at least three points against Oklahoma. 12 South Carolina has won 12 straight games by double digits, the longest streak in program history. 26 The Gamecocks registered a new season-high with 26 assists against the Sooners. Raven Johnson and Fulwiley combined for 15 of them. 41 The Gamecocks’ 41-point margin of victory is the largest in school history against a ranked opponent. The previous record was 40 points against Iowa State earlier this season. 53 This was the Gamecocks’ 53rd straight win against SEC competition, extending a record they already own. South Carolina’s bench scored 53 points against Oklahoma. The Gamecocks entered Sunday’s game with the highest scoring bench in Division I this season (42.2 points per contest). 60 South Carolina’s defense held the Sooners to just 60 points, almost 30 points below their season average of 88.1 points per game. 68 South Carolina has won 68 consecutive home games, tied for the seventh longest streak in Division I history. 101 The point total South Carolina reached against Oklahoma, its highest scoring regular-season game in 2024-25. The Gamecocks also recorded a 106-63 exhibition win over Memphis on Oct. 15 and a 126-42 exhibition victory against Clayton State 13 days later.
