:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/52990419/usa_today_9741375.0.jpg)
Start Time: 6 p.m.
TV: ESPN2 (Dave O’Brien, Doris Burke)
Live Stream: WatchESPN.com
Radio: 107.5 The Game in Columbia (Brad Muller)
Live Audio: Gamecock IMG Sports Network; TuneIn app
Another week, another Big Monday game for the South Carolina Gamecocks. After handing the Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs their first loss of the season at CLA and then holding off a persistent Georgia team in Athens, the Gamecocks welcome a program that’s been a little up and down in recent weeks: the Tennessee Lady Vols. Holly Warlick’s club defeated #6 Ole Miss at Thompson-Bolling two weeks ago but followed it up with a loss to mid-table Auburn. The Lady Vols have three wins over Top 25 opponents (Stanford and Kentucky are the others) but just haven’t been able to carry a long string of momentum through the season.
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/7897073/usa_today_9832790.jpg)
Leading the way for the Lady Vols is Diamond DeShields. DeShields (a transfer from North Carolina a couple of year ago that was considering South Carolina) is averaging 17.5 points (third in the SEC) and 6.6 rebounds per game, en route to a spot on the Ann Meyers Drysdale midseason watch list for national women’s player of the year. (Alaina Coates and A’ja Wilson also made the list). Wilson is only a sixth of a point behind DeShields in scoring, so seeing the two juniors go at it this evening will be fun to watch. We’ll also have to keep a close eye on the battle of the boards as we’ll get a close look at two of the top rebounders in the league: Alaina Coates paces the Gamecocks with 11.1 (tied for first in the SEC), with Mercedes Russell sitting at fifth in the stat column with 9.2.
This is a game where the records can be deceiving - don’t think that Tennessee isn’t able to pull off an upset on the road. If South Carolina isn’t able to neutralize Russell down low, take DeShields out of her game, and can’t get their wheels turning offensively, the Lady Vols will be rolling out of Columbia with their fourth Top 25 win of the year.