Lady Vols basketball will play a third straight road game, and it will be one of its biggest challenges yet this season.
No. 17 Tennessee (15-5, 7-1 SEC) faces No. 3 South Carolina (23-2, 9-1) at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina on Feb. 8 (3 p.m. ET, ABC). The Lady Vols beat Georgia in overtime to snap a two-game skid and the Gamecocks have won four straight by an average of 29.3 points.
Advertisement
Here’s what you need to know about the matchup.
Joyce Edwards, Madina Okot are dominant frontcourt
South Carolina has arguably the best frontcourt in the SEC with sophomore forward Joyce Edwards and senior center Madina Okot.
The 6-foot-3 Edwards is a dynamic player who can impact every area of the game. She leads the Gamecocks with 20.4 points per game and 1.9 steals. She also averages 6.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.2 blocks while shooting 60.3% from the field. Okot, 6-6, averages 13.3 points, 10 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.5 steals, 1.5 blocks and she shoots 59.6% from the field.
Okot is a more traditional post player, but she still has handles. Her defense and rebounding are crucial for South Carolina. Edwards can face up and shoot, take you off the dribble or post up, and the pair are a matchup nightmare.
Advertisement
If Tennessee wants any hope of an upset, it has to contain Edwards and Okot’s production.
Tessa Johnson is crucial for Gamecocks’ offensive success
Junior guard Tessa Johnson doesn’t necessarily stand out on the Gamecocks’ stats, except for her 45.7% shooting from 3-point range. She’s South Carolina’s best shooter and it’s not close.
But Johnson has so much more to her game. She’s a great slasher, driver, playmaker, a connector – she does a little bit of everything for the Gamecocks. And they’re much better offensively when Johnson is being assertive.
Johnson averages 13.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists. She’s a very consistent producer, but she can turn the tide of the game when she’s a driving force in the offense.
Advertisement
Tennessee cannot get destroyed on the boards
Tennessee won the rebounding battle the first two games of SEC play, and then it got outrebounded for six straight games. It didn’t hurt the Lady Vols until they got destroyed on the boards 50-31 in a 15-point loss to Mississippi State.
But the Lady Vols outrebounded Georgia 43-34 in an overtime win. They have to win that category if they want to beat teams like South Carolina.
The Gamecocks are historically a great rebounding team under South Carolina coach Dawn Staley. This season in SEC games, they rank sixth in the conference in defensive rebounding percentage (.695) and third in offensive rebounding percentage (.383). Tennessee ranks 11th in defensive rebounding percentage (.650) and sixth in offensive rebounding percentage (.363).
Advertisement
The Lady Vols have to get extra possessions with offensive rebounds. They can’t afford to give those up to South Carolina.
Lady Vols vs South Carolina prediction
South Carolina 74, Tennessee 65: The Lady Vols seem to be back on track and will put up a good fight, but a win over one of the best teams in the country, especially at Colonial Life Arena, seems to still be a bit out of reach. But a close result with a top-10 team is an improvement for Tennessee.
Cora Hall is the University of Tennessee women’s athletics reporter for Knox News. Email: cora.hall@knoxnews.com; X: @corahalll; Bluesky: @corahall.bsky.social. Support strong local journalism and unlock premium perks:knoxnews.com/subscribe
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Lady Vols basketball vs South Carolina prediction. Who will win SEC matchup
