No. 2 South Carolina Faces No. 19 Alabama in Crucial SEC Showdown

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – No. 2 South Carolina women’s basketball team (16-1, 4-0 SEC) faces its first road test against a ranked opponent this season as it takes on No. 19 Alabama (16-2, 3-1 SEC) at 7 p.m. ET Thursday at Coleman Coliseum. The Gamecocks, riding a dominant start to the season, aim to extend their winning streak in a critical stretch of SEC matchups.

South Carolina enters the game with a 32-15 all-time record against Alabama, including a perfect 22-0 mark under head coach Dawn Staley. This marks the first meeting between the two teams where both are nationally ranked. The Gamecocks defeated Alabama 72-44 in their last encounter on Feb. 22, 2023, behind a stifling defense that held the Crimson Tide to just 11 first-half points.

Alabama, coming off a win at Ole Miss on Sunday, ranks second in the SEC in three-point shooting. The Crimson Tide will look to challenge South Carolina’s defense, which has held ranked opponents to an average of 57.0 points per game this season.

South Carolina’s dominance in the paint has been a key factor in its success. The Gamecocks are outscoring opponents 42.1 to 24.1 in the paint this season, shooting 53.6 percent in that area. Fifth-year senior guard Te-Hina Paopao has been instrumental, averaging 11.1 points per game and leading the team with 13.5 points per game against ranked opponents. Paopao is shooting 49.0 percent from the field and 41.3 percent from three-point range.

The Gamecocks have also been formidable on the road, boasting a 139-46 record under Staley. Their recent 33-game road win streak, which ended in November 2024, is the third-longest in NCAA Division I history.

Thursday’s game will be broadcast nationally on SEC Network+, accessible through cable or streaming subscriptions that include the SEC Network. Fans can tune in to see if South Carolina can maintain its momentum or if Alabama can pull off an upset in front of its home crowd.