5:05 pm
November 9

#1 South Carolina @ #5 North Carolina State

Who will WIN this matchup?

#1 South Carolina Gamecocks (0-0)

@ #5 North Carolina State Wolfpack (0-0)

 

Current odds:

South Carolina Gamecocks: (-165)

North Carolina State Wolfpack: (+145)

 

• The line for this game is South Carolina by 3.5 points.

• The Gamecocks are No. 1 in both primary preseason polls for the second time in as many seasons.

• South Carolina’s 10 guaranteed games against teams ranked in either the AP or Coaches poll are tied for the third-most in the country.

• South Carolina returns all 11 members of its 2021 NCAA Final Four team. To that group, the Gamecocks added the No. 1 transfer of the season in Kamilla Cardoso and the No. 1 recruiting class.

• Last season, South Carolina ranked fourth in the country with 47.0 rebounds per game and second in blocked shots per game (7.0).

• The Gamecocks scored 41.5 points per game in the paint last season (55.1 percent of total offense). The production was as much about guards getting in the lane (20.4 ppg) as the post players (21.1 ppg).

• Junior Aliyah Boston is one of the most impactful players in the game. She shapes the game beyond last season’s 13.7 ppg, 11.5 rpg (13th in NCAA), 4.1 offensive rpg (16th), 2.6 bpg (18th) and 17 double-doubles (5th). Boston’s constant communication on both sides of the ball shapes every play, and her commitment to doing the “unsung” actions in a game are just one aspect of her leadership, which prompted her teammates to vote her as one of their captains for a second season.

• NC State returns nine players and all five starters from last season’s squad that went 22-3 overall and won the 2021 ACC Tournament. The Wolfpack also welcomes five newcomers – two transfer sophomores and three freshmen.

• Both of the Pack’s transfers (Madison Hayes and Diamond Johnson) were ranked in the top 30 in the class of 2020 coming out of high school and garnered All-Freshman honors from their respective leagues last season.

• NC State’s current freshman class (Sophie Hart, Aziaha James, Jessica Timmons) was ranked as high as 12th nationally.

5/10
Confidence
StreakSmarter Pick
#1 South Carolina Gamecocks
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