The preseason rankings had South Carolina at No. 6. By Week Two, they had moved up to No. 1. They never left. For a team who had lost to Iowa in the Final Four, then lost their entire starting line-up, no one was really certain what this season would be like. They did get an important transfer in Te-Hina Paopao, and a very promising freshman, MiLaysia Fulwiley. Still, I don’t think anyone would have predicted that the Gamecocks would run the table, not even Dawn Staley. And yet, they did exactly that.
Was every game a thing of beauty? No. Were there struggles during the season? Yes. Were there times when play looked sloppy? There were. But South Carolina, under the exemplary tutelage of Coach Staley, always found a way. Was the game against LSU their greatest challenge? I believe it was. One might argue that LSU lost the game more than South Carolina won it.
It really was anyone’s game right down to the end. Costly turnovers and missed shots are part of the game, and South Carolina was able to capitalize on them and bring home the victory, on the road.
Top 5️⃣ (and not 5) pic.twitter.com/Im4vKQwcbL
— South Carolina Women's Basketball (@GamecockWBB) March 4, 2024
Ultimately, the score doesn’t matter. What does matter is how you get there, what you ask of your team, and what the team asks of themselves. This line-up is not a team of stars. It is a team of individuals who share an energy as an ensemble, and find what they need to do to cross the line first. In those games where South Carolina had to work a little harder, they did. During those few times they trailed, they found a way to take advantage of the other team’s mistakes.
The right shot at the right time, the right pass to the right player, the crucial offensive rebound, those are the things that win games. They are indeed a cohesive team, and as such, accomplished something very special.
Can South Carolina win it all once again?
Does all this give them an edge in the NCAAW Tournament? Perhaps, but there are many teams out there with whom the Gamecocks are not familiar and have the potential to cause them problems. So the question is, does South Carolina have what it takes to climb that mountain? Surely an undefeated regular season is an indication that they were able to weather every game, regardless of the situation. But the stakes become much higher when it is tournament time.
As much as South Carolina will step up its game, so will everyone else. But nothing can take away from a remarkable season, and everyone on the court deserves a lot of credit and respect for this accomplishment. One thing is certain, and that is that this will be an exciting tournament, and South Carolina will play a big part in it.
And that, my friends, as they say, is that.’ — Martin Ruben.
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