Yahoo Sports Recap: South Carolina WBB opens season with win vs Michigan
After opening the season against Notre Dame in Paris last year, South Carolina is back under the lights Monday night as part of a doubleheader event.
Coach Dawn Staley’s Gamecocks are the reigning national champions and open their 2024-25 season against Michigan in Las Vegas at 7:30 p.m. ET.
The Gamecocks and Wolverines are playing in the first leg of the 2024 Hall of Fame Series (which is run by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame) and will be followed by a college men’s matchup between No. 19 Texas and Ohio State at 10 p.m.
The games will be played at T-Mobile Arena, located right off the Las Vegas strip.
What’s the score?
FINAL: USC 68, Michigan 62
The Gamecocks (1-0) get the win, outscoring Michigan by three in the period and 31-24 for the second half. The final frame included six made free throws by USC players in the game’s final minute.
End 3Q: USC 54, Michigan 51
The Gamecocks led by as many as 8 points in the period and outscored the Wolverines 17-13 in the period. USC got 5 points each from Chloe Kitts, Bree Hall and Tessa Johnson.
Halftime: Michigan 38, USC 37
Tessa Johnson hits a 3 right before the buzzer to cut a four-point deficit to one. But UM has played unafraid from the start and led for 16:46 of the first 20 minutes against the defending champs, who are struggling in their first game without Kamilla Cardoso.
“They’re relentless,” USC coach Dawn Staley said of Michigan in her halftime interview with TNT.
South Carolina usually dominates points in the paint and rebounding stats to give itself an edge, but those are essentially dead even tonight (UM +1 on rebounds, both teams with 24 points in the paint). Those numbers, plus a bad shooting night for the Gamecocks, have made this one tense so far.
End Q1: Michigan 21, USC 18
The Wolverines aren’t scared and lead the defending champs by two after a competitive first quarter including three ties and four lead changes. Freshman UM guard Syla Swords is cooking with 10 points and six rebounds.
The Gamecocks have shot just 33% (7 of 21) and have four turnovers. F Chloe Kitts has been a bright spot with six points and six rebounds.
Pro-Gamecocks crowd
It’s a very pro-South Carolina crowd here in Vegas. The bottom level of the arena is probably 70% full, and it feels like 90% of those in attendance are here cheering for USC, with a lot of roars for coach Dawn Staley specifically.
Availability report
All 12 Gamecocks expected to travel made the trip and participated in pregame warmups. The only USC player not in attendance is junior forward Ashlyn Watkins, who remains suspended indefinitely from team activities.
Freshman guard Maddy McDaniel (knee surgery) participated in warmups, but it’s to be determined if she plays against Michigan.
Betting odds, point spread
FanDuel lists the Gamecocks as 20.5-point favorites over the Wolverines for Monday’s game.
South Carolina women’s basketball today
Who: No. 1 South Carolina (0-0) vs. Michigan (0-0)
When: 7:30 p.m. ET Monday
Where: T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas
TV: TNT
Broadcast crew: Spero Dedes, Grant Hill, Candace Parker, Taylor Rooks
Stream: Via tntdrama.com (requires cable log-in)
Next up: South Carolina plays No. 9 NC State in the Ally Tipoff event in Charlotte on Friday before its home opener vs. Coppin State on Nov. 14.
About Michigan
Michigan has made four straight NCAA Tournaments under coach Kim Barnes Arico and has won 20 or more games in each of the past three seasons.
In 2023-24, the Wolverines went 20-14 and 6-6 in the Big Ten (tied for sixth). Michigan was a No. 9 seed and lost its opening NCAA game to No. 8 Kansas.
A number of players, including leading scorer Laila Phelia, left the Wolverines via the transfer portal this offseason. Only four players from last year’s team are still on Michigan’s current roster. Barnes Arico has described the Wolverines as “very inexperienced,” and they received zero poll points in the preseason AP Top 25.
Michigan hopes to offset that attrition with the best modern recruiting class in program history. The Wolverines finished with the No. 8 class nationally in ESPN’s rankings, led by five-star guard and No. 4 national recruit Syla Swords.
Swords competed for Canada during the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris and became the youngest basketball player to do so for the country at 18 years old.
