The Gamecocks begin their conference title defense hosting the Crimson Tide on New Year’s Day. Here are the critical factors that will shape the outcome.
Roster Limitations Create Challenges
South Carolina enters conference play significantly shorthanded. The SEC Availability Report confirmed senior guard Ta’Niya Latson’s absence Wednesday evening. Latson’s production—16.9 points, 4.0 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.6 steals while shooting career-best percentages of 51.9% overall and 41.7% from three-point range—makes her loss substantial, particularly in transition situations where she serves as the team’s second-leading scorer.
Incoming freshman Alicia Tournebize hasn’t yet joined the program, while Chloe Kitts remains sidelined recovering from her preseason ACL tear. These absences reduce available personnel to nine players.
Alabama will be without guard Eris Lester, who has seen minimal action this season following a March leg injury that ended her previous campaign.
Adapting Without a Key Contributor
Compensating for Latson’s absence requires collective effort rather than individual replacement. South Carolina lacks another player matching her specific skill set, forcing head coach Dawn Staley to leverage diverse lineup combinations.
“Everybody on this team, when their jersey number is called, they’re going to be ready,” guard Raven Johnson stated.
Recent adjustments provide precedent. Guard Agot Makeer started the second half against Providence after Latson’s injury, responding with her first career double-double: 10 points and 10 rebounds. When Tessa Johnson missed the NC Central game due to illness, Staley inserted post player Adhel Tac into the starting lineup, going big.
Sophomore guard Maddy McDaniel represents another option likely to see expanded minutes. She credited Johnson with preparing her for increased responsibility, noting lessons about “being calm, being the coach on the floor, and listening to what Coach says and then repeating it to us and making sure we’re all in the right spots.”
Perimeter Shooting Determines Outcome
Thursday’s winner will likely be determined by three-point efficiency.
Alabama emphasizes quality over quantity from distance, ranking top 60 nationally in made threes per game but only 138th in attempts. South Carolina’s perimeter defenders must maintain tight coverage to disrupt the Crimson Tide’s shot selection.
The Gamecocks average just 6.2 made threes per game but convert 38.5% of attempts—12th nationally—led by Tessa Johnson’s exceptional 49.2% accuracy. However, South Carolina utilizes three-point shooting primarily for spacing rather than offensive foundation.
Latson’s absence removes the team’s second-most effective perimeter threat, creating uncertainty beyond Johnson. Previous struggles include 1-of-10 against Duke and 4-of-15 at USF. If Alabama doubles interior players, the Gamecocks must capitalize on open looks.
Conference Gauntlet Begins
Since capturing the 2014 regular season championship, South Carolina has claimed either the SEC regular season or tournament title annually except 2019, including eight sweeps.
Despite this dominance, success has rarely come easily. The next two months feature twice-weekly games with minimal respite.
“You’ve got to take it straight on,” Staley explained. “It isn’t for the faint of heart; it is for programs that want to win national championships. If you play in the SEC, it affords you to compete for national championships.”
Johnson expressed enthusiasm for conference competition: “Our conference, it’s the best. Every night you’ve got to bring your all and it’s a good game every night.”
Alabama’s Retooled Roster
The Crimson Tide replaced their top three scorers from last season following Sarah Ashlee Barker and Aaliyah Nye’s WNBA departures, yet remain undefeated.
Jessica Timmons missed last season recovering from knee surgery but returned to average 15.5 points while shooting 44.4% from three-point range. Essence Cody transitioned from supporting role to team leader, contributing 15.4 points and 5.8 rebounds per game.
Staley believes Alabama’s core identity remains unchanged despite personnel turnover: “They play like an SEC team, which is gritty, which is hard-nosed. They find a way to decrease your momentum throughout the 40 minutes.”
Alabama employs a four-out offensive philosophy emphasizing three-point shooting, the same approach that has produced the program’s most successful era under Kristy Curry.
Their primary vulnerability involves defending dominant post players like Madina Okot. While Cody stands 6-foot-4, she doesn’t play traditional low-post defense. Sophomore Naomi Jones, who started during Cody’s injury absence, provides more conventional interior presence, but Alabama’s lack of forward depth means they must defend Joyce Edwards and Okot without fouling.
South Carolina has won 23 consecutive meetings, with Staley never losing to Alabama during her tenure.
