What to watch for: South Carolina-LSU meet in battle of undefeated

The only two undefeated teams in college basketball square off on Sunday. Here are a few key things to watch for during this highly anticipated matchup.

All eyes will be on Columbia, South Carolina this Sunday, as college basketball’s final undefeated teams face off in what many are calling the game of the year.

LSU has a chance to solidify their status as a true contender. Meanwhile, South Carolina gets another chance to assert their dominance and show why they are a step above everyone else.

There are numerous subplots at play in this game. Here are five to keep an eye on while watching on Sunday.

1. Different styles, similar dominance

While both teams have made it this far undefeated, the paths that have gotten them here are vastly different. South Carolina has played one of the toughest schedules in the country, with five wins over ranked opponents this season. Most rankings have their strength of schedule in the top 20. Meanwhile, LSU has played just one ranked opponent, and their SOS is ranked around 115th in the country.

LSU’s offense is its strong suit and will need to dissect South Carolina’s dominant defense. The Tigers are third in the nation in scoring offense, seventh in field goal percentage, and lead the NCAA in free throws attempted per game. Much of that stems from Angel Reese, who is fifth in the nation in points per game. The Tigers don’t shoot many threes but hit them at a top-20 clip, which will be important in this game.

South Carolina’s defense is elite. The Gamecocks have won their five games against ranked opponents by 17.8 points per game. They are first in the nation in scoring defense, allowing less than 50 points per game, and ranked opponents have scored 19.7 points below their per-game average against South Carolina. Only two of their 24 opponents this year have gotten within 10 points of their scoring average.

South Carolina’s game against UConn built upon the blueprint to potentially take down the Gamecocks. UConn packed the paint, forcing South Carolina to shoot jump shots. The strategy worked, for a while, but Carolina’s depth eventually wore the short-handed Huskies down. The Gamecocks were able to establish their inside game in the second half and escape with a win.

Still, no strategy has successfully worked against Dawn Staley’s team in quite a while. South Carolina has been there, done that, and had pretty much every strategy in the book thrown at them. Their deep, experienced roster has ground out many tough wins during their time in Columbia, including knocking LSU out of the NCAA tournament last year. LSU is a retooled team, but SC will be prepared.

2. The rebounding battle in this game will be incredible

South Carolina leads the nation in rebounding margin at +21.6 per game. LSU sits second at +20.5 per game. These are the only two teams in the nation, men or women, with a margin above 15. Both teams average a ridiculous 50 rebounds per game, with 18 offensive rebounds each.

Absurd.

3. Angel Reese vs. Aliyah Boston

This is the marquee matchup within the marquee matchup: the reigning National Player of the Year against the budding star looking to capture the award this year.

What more can be said of Aliyah Boston? She has dominated the last few seasons, set records and won pretty much every award possible. Boston has been so dominant this year that her numbers are DOWN because she has only needed to play 25 minutes a night. In South Carolina’s ranked matchups, though, Boston has consistently risen to the occasion. Against ranked opponents, Boston has averaged 17.4 points and 12.2 rebounds on 58% shooting, up from her season averages of 13.3 points and 10 rebounds.

Angel Reese is a rising star who has elevated her play since transferring to LSU. Reese is a walking double-double: she’s averaging an incredible 23.5 points and 15.8 rebounds per game. She has recorded a double-double in all 23 of LSU’s games, four shy of Boston’s record 27 straight from last season. Reese has gotten her way with every other opponent this year, but will face a unique challenge in Boston.

Reese’s main strength has been her athleticism. Her second jump is unmatched among bigs, and she tracks the ball off the rim exceptionally well. None of her opponents to this point have had an answer for her on the glass. South Carolina will.

One of Boston’s many strengths, and one that will be very important here, is her conditioning. She wears down opponents by constantly making them work. She fights for rebounds she has no chance of getting. She bumps them throughout each possession. It’s understated in the moment, but often very apparent down the stretch. Reese will have to earn every shot, rebound, and position she battles for from start to finish.

Another notable aspect of this matchup will be the differences in personality between these two players. Boston, as competitive as she is, has a very business-like approach. Reese, on the other hand, is fiery and feisty – an identity she is proud of and uses to her advantage. These opposite styles will be fun to watch as they battle down low.

4. Which side’s co-stars show up?

With so much emphasis on the stars, their supporting cast becomes even more important.

For South Carolina, Zia Cooke may be the biggest x-factor. The senior guard recently had a massive shooting slump that included a 2-15 performance against UConn. That won’t cut it against LSU.

When she’s on, Cooke is a dynamic scorer, capable of scoring from anywhere on the floor. She is key in helping South Carolina stretch defenses and opening things up for Boston inside. Cooke has struggled against ranked opponents this season, though. Look for Dawn Staley to draw up some easy early looks to help her get going in this one.

Kamilla Cardoso will also be vital for South Carolina. Cardoso has been the most impactful bench player for the Gamecocks all year. At 6-foot-7, she helps Carolina wear down opponents with the sheer size and hustle. Staley is unafraid to use Boston and Cardoso simultaneously, too, which adds a terrifying layer to the Gamecock offense. LSU will be hard-pressed to counter Staley’s double-big lineups.

For LSU, Alexis Morris’ performance will be of utmost importance. Morris is the Tigers’ second-leading scorer and one of their best shooters. She has scored 15+ in four straight games coming into this one.

What’s even more important for Morris and LSU, though, will be her ability to dictate the flow of the game. The Gamecocks will have heavy pressure on her from start to finish, so taking care of the ball will be key. Morris needs to limit her turnovers, hit open teammates, and get LSU out in transition effectively.

Beside Morris in the backcourt will be freshman Flau’jae Johnson, who is playing in the biggest game of her career. Johnson has played well to this point, but how will she handle South Carolina’s defense? She will likely shoulder more of a load than usual. How “Big Fo” responds will be a big factor on Sunday.

5. South Carolina’s depth vs. LSU’s starter-heavy play

South Carolina is by far the deepest team in the country. Dawn Staley rolls out 10 or 11 players every game. The versatility, chemistry, and talent across her roster gives her a multitude of groups she can roll out at any moment and trust them to get the job done.

The Gamecock bench averages a whopping 96 minutes per game and scores 40 points. In their 11 SEC games, they’ve outscored opponent benches 405-142. Even if the rotation tightens up during the course of this game, the bench is a huge advantage for South Carolina. Staley has a talent lying in wait for any situation that arises.

Keep an eye on Laeticia Amihere, Bree Hall, and Raven Johnson, in particular. Amihere is one of South Carolina’s most versatile players. The 6-foot-4 forward can defend all five positions, is an elite help side defender, and is one of the Gamecocks’ best transition threats. Hall is one of the team’s better shooters and can get hot quickly. She had 18 points in 25 minutes against Alabama last month. Johnson has been playing her best ball as of late, highlighted by a 14-point, seven assist performance against UConn. Johnson played 36 minutes in that game as well, showing that she can handle a bigger role when called upon.

On the Tigers’ side, their starters carry most of the load. Kim Mulkey only goes about three deep off her bench. LSU’s starters score 69.3 of their 86.7 points per game. Can their bench do enough to keep the team afloat?

Mulkey’s three rotation players are Sa’Myah Smith, Kateri Poole, and Last-Tear Poa. Smith is the leading bench scorer, averaging 5.7 points per game. Her minutes will be crucial, as she usually replaces either Reese or starting forward Ladazhia Williams. Smith is a bit smaller than both, and will have to play bigger than she is against the Gamecocks. Poole is in a similar position as Alexis Morris. She will need to control the flow of the game during her minutes. Poole is not the scoring threat Morris is, so making the right read while on the floor will be key for her.