WBB Preview Plus: Gamecocks host Georgia

7 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 18, 2016

Colonial Life Arena, Columbia, South Carolina

Broadcast: SEC Network+

Radio: Gamecock Radio Network

The Gamecocks return home after a 62-56 win at No. 24 Tennessee.

Dawn Staley’s squads have won 24 straight home conference games, dating back to Feb. 10, 2013. Eying a perfect conference record, South Carolina cannot overlook unranked Georgia.

Thursday, the Gamecocks host a hot Georgia team. The Bulldogs began their SEC slate with three straight losses, but have won seven of their last nine, and five straight. Two weeks ago, Georgia beat then No. 20 Missouri on the road by 15 points. It was their third double-digit win over a top-25 team, and second on the road.

Thursday’s contest should be won or lost in the frontcourt, with the SEC’s top three rebounders in action. At just 5-foot-10, Georgia guard/forward Shacobia Barbee ranks second in the conference with 9.2 rebounds per game. The senior is flanked on the conference leaderboard by Gamecocks Alaina Coates and A’ja Wilson.

Wilson and Coates have been especially strong in conference play. Coates has averaged a double-double through 12 conference games, averaging 11.5 points and 11.1 rebounds per SEC game. Wilson has been dominant on both ends of the court, averaging 16.5 points a game and posting 42 blocks in 12 conference games.

Thursday’s game will be the first for the Gamecocks against an unranked opponent since Jan. 28 against Ole Miss. They’ve gone 4-1 in the last five games against ranked opponents, with the loss, of course, coming to No. 1 UConn.

With a win on Thursday, the Gamecocks can clinch their third consecutive regular season SEC championship. The Gamecocks secured their first conference title with a win the last time Georgia visited Colonial Life Arena in 2014.

There are no easy games in the SEC, but if the Gamecocks play to their strengths, they should be able to put this one out of reach pretty quickly. I just don’t see Georgia having the depth to hang with South Carolina’s frontcourt for four quarters.

1. Stick to the gameplan

2. Feed A’ja Wilson

3. Play with confidence

— The Gamecocks have won 24 straight home SEC games and 45 of their last 46 overall at Colonial Life Arena. The one loss came last week against UConn.

— Georgia last visited Colonial Life Arena in 2014. The Gamecocks secured their first-ever SEC championship with a 67-56 victory. Tiffany Mitchell scored career-high 25 points while Coates added 18 points and eight boards in 19 minutes.

— A’ja Wilson leads the SEC with 3.2 blocks per game. The next closest player is Tennessee center Mercedes Russell, who is averaging two a game. Wilson is also third in the conference with 16.7 points per game. She scored 25 points and blocked five shots in a game-high 38 minutes against Tennessee.

— Three years ago, South Carolina had never won an SEC vhampionship. With a win Thursday, the Gamecocks will clinch their third straight conference title. With all four remaining games coming against unranked teams, the Gamecocks have a shot at the first undefeated conference record in school history.

— With 10 points and 12 points a game, junior Alaina Coates is the only player in the SEC currently averaging a double-double. In conference play, Coates has averaged 11.1 boards per game.

The Gamecocks will travel to Tuscaloosa for a matchup with unranked Alabama on Monday. They will play at Ole Miss before ending the season at home for the first time in three years with a Feb. 28 matchup against LSU.

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