South Carolina coach Dawn Staley will aim for her number 5 Gamecocks (4-1) to start another winning streak against her former team, Temple Owls (0-2), at 7 pm ET Thursday night in Columbia.
Staley, born and raised in Philadelphia, ran her hometown women’s basketball program for eight seasons, winning 172 games as the Owls’ head coach. However, no feeling of affection will dull the sense of struggle that Staley will try to instill in his young Gamecocks before his final competition outside the conference.
South Carolina has not played since Sunday, December 6, when it responded to its first defeat in 29 games (against NC State on December 3) by defeating then no. 23 Iowa State Cyclones, 83-65.
A home match against opponents Owls gives Gamecocks the opportunity to advance to championship form, especially on the offensive side of the field.
In the defeat to NC State, the South Carolina attack was disorganized and out of pace, managing to add 46 points. As an exasperated Staley observed: “You give up 54 points, you must win. I don’t know the last time we scored 46 points. “
Against the state of Iowa, South Carolina’s attack was championship quality. In particular, the Gamecocks found their 3-point shot, hitting 50 percent of their attempts behind the arc. The sophomore guard, Zia Cooke, drained four of the team’s 13 trios; Brea Beal and Destanni Henderson swung three trees each.
With opponents likely giving priority to preventing Aliyah Boston from dominating them in painting, South Carolina’s perimeter players must often encounter open kicks from the bottom. If they sink them consistently, Staley shouldn’t be concerned with more 46 point performances.
However, more than 3-point proficiency, Staley wants to see smart offensive decisions, emphasizing:
Our players are suing … is this a good shot, is it a bad shot? And that is a valid question and these are questions that I love, hug and encourage, because it is the appetite for learning. And that’s what we’re here for, teaching them not to just play (but) master the game.
Staley will be pleased if the many young stars in South Carolina put these principles into practice in what should be a dominant victory against his former team.
Game information
No. 5 South Carolina Gamecocks (4-1) vs. Temple Owls (0-2)
When: Thursday, December 17th, at 7 pm ET
Where: Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, SC
How to watch: SEC Network
What to note: Is it time for Aliyah Boston to have a break game? By no means is the national freshman of the year 2019-20 suffering from a fall in sophomore year – she averages 11 points and 9.8 rebounds in five games. But it still hasn’t exploded for a big night of goals. With Owls without an experienced player the size to battle it, Boston should work on the inside, sharpening its postgame before the SEC game starts.