No. 1 USC earns SEC-opening win over Florida Gators: 3 things we learned

Payton Titus
·3 min read

The Gamecocks grappled with the Gators in Gainesville, Florida on Thursday night to kick off 2024 and start SEC play.

New year, same results for No. 1 South Carolina, which defeated Florida 89-66 at Exactech Arena to remain perfect.

The Gamecocks employed their usual starting lineup: Te-Hina Paopao, Raven Johnson, Bree Hall, Kamilla Cardoso and Chloe Kitts. Five USC players scored in double figures: Paopao (17), Johnson (16), Hall (15), Cardoso (10) and MiLaysia Fulwiley (10).

Here are three takeaways from the conference opener:

Te-Hina Paopao shines in SEC debut

Thursday night marked former Pac-12 starter Paopao’s first taste of SEC competition.

She made four 3-pointers in the first quarter alone, sinking each shot attempt from that range and missing just one field goal the whole quarter. Four 3s tied Paopao’s season best achieved at Bowling Green before the holiday break.

Paopao has made at least two from long range in every game she’s played this season.

She ended Thursday’s game with 17 points, four assists, four turnovers, three rebounds and a steal in 22 minutes of game time.

Gamecocks shut almost everyone down on defense

Florida’s starting guard Leilani Correa presented major problems for South Carolina, which did a good job limiting everyone else in a white, orange and blue jersey.

Correa led all scorers with 21 points in the first half on 60% (9 of 15) shooting. With her, the Gators ended the second quarter shooting 37.5% from the field. Without her, they shot 24%.

She entered Thursday’s contest averaging 13.3 points per game, which tied center Ra Shaya Kyle for second most on the team. Aliyah Matharu led Florida with 19 points per game before playing USC. She made just one of 10 field goals in the first half against the Gamecocks, but later bounced back to end the game with 10.

Correa ended the game with 27.

Gamecocks bigs overwhelmed on offense, turn to defense

South Carolina’s four post players who saw the court in the first half Thursday combined for seven points in quarters one and two. Cardoso had four. Ashlyn Watkins had two. Kitts had one. Sania Feagin had none.

Heading into Thursday night’s contest, Cardoso led the Gamecocks in scoring five times (against Notre Dame, South Dakota State, Duke, Utah and East Carolina).

In her previous five games, Kitts averaged 11.4 points and 9.4 rebounds.

The second half against Florida proved better, but not overly so. Cardoso clawed her way to double-digit points. Kitts ended the game with five to Watkins’ six.

All three players found ways to contribute on defense, though. By game’s end, Cardoso snagged 15 total rebounds (12 on defense) to Kitts’ seven (five on defense). Watkins blocked six shots.

Next four South Carolina WBB games:

  • Jan. 7: vs. Mississippi State, 1 p.m. (ESPN)

  • Jan. 11: at Missouri, 8 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)

  • Jan. 15: vs. Kentucky, 7 p.m. (SEC Network)

  • Jan. 21: at Texas A&M, 5 p.m. (SEC Network)