No. 2 South Carolina continues to play arguably the best basketball in the country, defeating Auburn this week to move to 21-1 in the country.
While the Gamecocks only played one game this week, that doesn't mean there wasn't a lot of intrigue around the program.
Let's take a look at three news items this week for South Carolina women's basketball
Undefeated conference run continues
With an 83-66 win over Auburn on Feb. 2, South Carolina remained undefeated in SEC play. Freshman Joyce Edwards continued to assert herself as the future of the program in the victory, leading the team in scoring with 18 points on 8-for-11 shooting.
Meanwhile, MiLaysia Fulwiley was just behind her with 17 points, though on a less efficient 46.2% shooting. Chloe Kitts and Bree Hall scored in double figures as well.
South Carolina survived a monster game from Auburn's DeYona Gaston, who began her career at the University of Texas. Gaston scored 31 of the team's 66 points, going 14-for-22. Outside of Gaston, no Tigers player took more than seven field goal attempts.
The Gamecocks have now started SEC play 9-0, with only one of those games decided by fewer than 10 points.
What's more, South Carolina continues a long, long SEC win streak. Despite the strength of the conference, the Gamecocks haven't lost since March 6, 2022, falling by two points to a Kentucky team that was led by Rhyne Howard. That was so long ago that Aliyah Boston was still anchoring the paint for the Gamecocks.
On Sunday, the Gamecocks face their biggest test as far as staying undefeated in conference play goes as the team goes on the road to play Texas. While South Carolina already has a home win over the Horns this year, replicating that in Austin will be difficult. Her Hoop Stats gives South Carolina a 46.2 percent chance to win that game, the only game remaining on the schedule with under an 80 percent chance of winning.
But first, South hits the road on Thursday night to face Georgia. On paper, this is the easiest remaining game on the team's schedule as the Bulldogs rank just 127th in Her Hoop Stats rating, two spots back of Arkansas, the second-easiest opponent left for the Gamecocks. However, with this game being on the road, Georgia has a slightly better chance at the upset than Arkansas is predicted to have. Her Hoop Stats gives South Carolina a 98.9 percent chance of winning on Thursday with a projected margin of victory of 31.6 points.
A'ja Wilson's jersey retirement
The win over Auburn was also notable because South Carolina retired the jersey of program legend A'ja Wilson.
Before Wilson was a star in the WNBA for the Las Vegas and a three-time WNBA MVP, she was a star in Columbia, South Carolina, first at Heathwood Hall Episcopal and then for the Gamecocks.
Wilson won an NCAA championship in 2017, when she was named the NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player. She won the Naismith College Player of the Year award the next season and was a three-time All-American in addition to winning three SEC Player of the Year awards.
South Carolina chose Feb. 2 for Wilson's jersey retirement ceremony because Wilson wore the No. 22 for the team.
Feb. 2 was a monumental day in women's college basketball as former Iowa star Caitlin Clark — a fellow wearer of the No. 22 — had her jersey retired as well. Who'll be the next No. 22 to be honored on 2/2?
South Carolina practice squad earns NIL deal
South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley surprised her team's all-male practice squad with a unique NIL deal this week.
The practice squad, known as The Highlighters, has been described by Staley in the past a major part of the team's success, helping to prepare the players in practice for the rigors of playing one of the nation's toughest schedules.
To celebrate their contributions, Staley worked with shoe manufacturer OOFOS to give The Highlighters an NIL deal, with members of the practice squad being gifted OOFOS recovery shoes.
The Highlighters finally getting theirs – we love to see it! pic.twitter.com/HsyZVcew7I
— South Carolina Women's Basketball (@GamecockWBB) February 5, 2025
Staley told ESPN in 2023 that members of The Highlighters get championship rings, showing — or, rather, highlighting — just how important Staley views them.
Under Staley, South Carolina has been a program dedicated to finding any edge it can to win. From Staley's deep rotations to her recruiting prowess ... and even to those who scrimmage against the Gamecocks in practice.