For the second season in a row, the South Carolina Gamecocks are looking at a perfect 16-0 record in SEC regular-season play, and only the Tennessee Lady Vols stand in their way. The Lady Vols (17-10, 10-5) will visit the No. 1 Gamecocks (28-0, 15-0) this Sunday, Mar. 3 as part of a packed conference schedule that features all 14 teams in the SEC.
Despite losing a significant amount of talent in the 2023 WNBA Draft—including No. 1 overall pick Aliyah Boston—the Gamecocks have continued their run of dominance as one of Division I’s premier programs, and the argument could certainly be made that this season’s iteration is one of the most talented squads of the Dawn Staley era. South Carolina, as usual, has plenty of size on the interior, with 6-foot-7 center Kamilla Cardoso averaging 9.8 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game; the Gamecocks can also push the envelope offensively, boasting a top-notch offensive backcourt duo in Te-Hina Paopao and Raven Johnson, with one of the country’s most electrifying freshmen, MiLaysia Fulwiley, coming off the bench.
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It’s going to be a tall task for the Lady Vols on Sunday. Tennessee hasn’t beaten South Carolina in over three years. While the Lady Vols’s SEC record of 10-5 is more than respectable, most of those losses have come against the conference’s best—including the Gamecocks, who last defeated Tennessee on Feb. 15 by a score of 66-55.
In other words, the Lady Vols have been good, but not great, and despite having one of the best players in the country in Rickea Jackson (19.2 points and 7.9 rebounds per game), Tennessee has often failed to meet the level of play presented by the SEC’s top teams.
There’s no better time for the Lady Vols to buck that trend. For much of this season, South Carolina has looked like a team of destiny. Should Tennessee march into Columbia and deal the Gamecocks their first loss of the season, it would not only be a major confidence-booster for Jackson and company heading into the SEC Tournament, but would also make for a great resume booster for when the NCAA Tournament seeds are decided, ESPN’s Charlie Creme currently projects Tennessee as a No. 8 seed, but there’s certainly room for the Lady Vols to move up with a strong end-of-season performance.
Tip-off is scheduled for 12 p.m. ET, and the game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN. Stick around afterwards for more televised SEC hoops, including matchups between the Kentucky Wildcats (11-18, 4-11) and the No. 9 LSU Tigers (25-4, 12-3) at 2 p.m. ET and the Arkansas Razorbacks (18-12, 6-9) and the Ole Miss Rebels (21-7, 11-4) at 4 p.m. ET; both of these games will be televised on the SEC Network.
Game information
Tennessee Lady Vols (17-10, 10-5 SEC) vs. No. 1 South Carolina Gamecocks (28-0, 15-0 SEC)
When: Sunday, March 3 at 12 p.m. ET
Where: Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, SC
How to watch: ESPN
Auburn Tigers (18-10, 7-8 SEC) vs. Florida Gators (14-13, 5-10 SEC)
When: Sunday, March 3 at 12 p.m. ET
Where: Exactech Arena in Gainesville, FL
How to watch: SEC Network
Kentucky Wildcats (11-18, 4-11 SEC) vs. No. 9 LSU Tigers (25-4, 12-3 SEC)
When: Sunday, March 3 at 2 p.m. ET
Where: Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, LA
How to watch: SEC Network
Georgia Lady Bulldogs (12-16, 3-12 SEC) vs. Vanderbilt Commodores (21-8, 8-7 SEC)
When: Sunday, March 3 at 2 p.m. ET
Where: Memorial Gymnasium in Nashville, TN
How to watch: SECN+
Alabama Crimson Tide (22-8, 9-6 SEC) vs. Texas A&M Aggies (18-10, 6-9 SEC)
When: Sunday, March 3 at 3 p.m. ET
Where: Reed Arena in College Station, TX
How to watch: SECN+
Missouri Tigers (11-17, 2-13 SEC) vs. Mississippi State Bulldogs (20-10, 7-8 SEC)
When: Sunday, March 3 at 3 p.m. ET
Where: Humphrey Coliseum in Starkville, MS
How to watch: SECN+
Arkansas Razorbacks (18-12, 6-9 SEC) vs. Ole Miss Rebels (21-7, 11-4 SEC)
When: Sunday, March 3 at 4 p.m. ET
Where: Sandy and John Black Pavilion in Oxford, MS
How to watch: SEC Network