No. 1 at No. 7: What you need to know about UConn vs. South Carollina

February 1, 2018

No. 1 UConn vs. No. 7 South Carolina

When: 7 p.m.

Where:  Colonial Life Arena, Columbia, S.C.

Big road test for UConn

TV, radio: ESPN, WTIC-AM (1080).

Records, rankings: No. 1 UConn, 20-0; No. 7 South Carolina, 18-3

Common opponents: South Carolina beat Maryland, 94-86; lost to Notre Dame, 92-85; beat Temple, 87-60. UConn beat Maryland, 97-72; beat Notre Dame, 80-71; beat Temple, 113-57.

Series: UConn leads, 5-0.

Last meeting: UConn won, 66-55, on Feb. 13, 2017.

UConn vs. defending national champs

The Huskies play at South Carolina, last year’s national champion, Thursday night and if history means anything UConn could be in trouble. Eight times in their history the Huskies have played the team that won the national championship the season before, and they are 3-5 in those games. Included in that is a loss to Tennessee in 1998, the only other time they played such a game on the road.

Here are the eight games UConn has played against defending national champions:

  • Lost to Baylor, 76-60, on Feb. 18, 2013
  • Beat Texas A&M, 81-51, on Dec. 6, 2011
  • Beat Notre Dame, 80-53, on Jan. 21, 2002
  • Lost to Tennessee, 92-81, on Jan . 10, 1999
  • Lost at Tennessee, 84-69, on Jan. 3, 1998
  • Beat Tennessee, 72-57, on Jan. 5, 1997
  • Lost to Tennessee, 91-81, on March 24, 1997
  • Lost to Stanford, 68-54, on Feb. 20, 1993

Probable starters

UConn: 6-3 Jr. G Katie Lou Samuelson (17.0 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 47 assists, 23 steals); 6-1 Jr. F Napheesa Collier (14.9 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 59 assists, 35 steals); 5-11 Sr. F Gabby Williams (10.4 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 97 assists, 54 steals); 6-0 Sr. G Kia Nurse (15.1 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 58 assists, 21 steals); 5-5 So. G Crystal Dangerfield (11.2 ppg, 87 assists, 33 steals).

South Carolina: 6-0 Jr. G Doniyah Cliney (8.1 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 48 assists); 5-10 Fr. G Bianca Jackson (6.5 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 42 assists); 6-5 Sr. F A’ja Wilson (23.1 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 68 blocks); 6-2 Jr. F Alexis Jennings (13.0 ppg, 7.5 rpg); 5-10 So. G Tyasha Harris (11.6 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 141 assists).

    UConn's Gabby Williams on facing South Carolina

    Worth noting

    • Two years ago when the Huskies played at South Carolina, the Gamecocks sold out their 18,000-seat arena, and another big crowd is expected tonight. South Carolina leads the nation in attendance, averaging 12,984 fans per game which is about 700 fans per game higher than last year when the Gamecocks led the nation. Their smallest home crowd this season has been 11,732 against College of Charleston while their largest has been 14,763 for Tennessee.
    • South Carolina is 10-1 at home this season with the one loss coming to Tennessee. UConn is 9-0 on the road and has won a national-record 47 road games in a row dating back to at loss at Stanford on Nov. 17, 2014.
    • UConn won its last game at South Carolina two years ago, 66-54, in front of that sellout crowd.
    • UConn is 3-5 all-time against defending national champions.
    • The Huskies are 6-0 this season against ranked opponents and are 3-0 against teams ranked in the Top 10 with wins over No. 10 Stanford, No. 20 Cal, No. 15 Maryland, No. 5 UCLA, No. 3 Notre Dame, and No. 9 Texas.
    • South Carolina is 4-3 this season against ranked teams and 1-1 against Top 10 teams. The Gamecocks have wins over No. 15 Maryland, No. 22 Texas A&M, No. 14 Duke and No. 11 Missouri and losses to No. 6 Notre Dame, No. 14 Missouri and No. 6 Tennessee.
    • The only game Katie Lou Samuelson has not scored in double figures this season is the Tulsa game in which she re-injured her left ankle and played only 15 minutes. She’s scored at least 17 points in 10 of the 15 games she’s played.
    • Napheesa Collier has shot 50 percent or better from the field in 12 of her last 13 games and has scored in double figures in 17 of her last 19 games.
    • Azura Stevens goes into tonight’s game leading the team with the longest active string of double-figure games at eight in a row.
    • A’ja Wilson has had eight double-doubles in her last 11 games played and 14 overall this season in 19 games played. She has scored in double figures in every game she’s played with the exception of the Jan. 7 loss to Missouri when she played only 19 minutes before fouling out. She’s scored 25 points or more in 11 games this season and 30 or more in three.
    • Ty Harris has six double-doubles with points and assists in her last 14 games and has scored in double figures in 10 of her last 11 games.
    • Alexis Jennings has scored in double figures in 13 of her last 16 games and has had at least seven rebounds in 10 of her last 14 games.

      UConn coach Geno Auriemma: On S.C.'s A'Ja Wilson