Welch expected to return to lineup for sixth-seeded Gamecocks
After finishing the regular season with a win against Arkansas, the Gamecocks will look to carry their momentum into the SEC Tournament.
Despite finishing tied for fourth in the conference and ranked No. 25 in the final regular season AP Poll, South Carolina (21-8, 10-6) is slotted as the sixth seed due to tiebreakers, and will face Alabama (12-18, 2-14) at 10 p.m. on tonight in Nashville, Tenn.
USC coach Dawn Staley spoke about the challenges of a tournament in which the four rounds are played on consecutive nights, admitting to looking ahead in preparation.
“Hopefully if we can get by Alabama, we can beat Georgia.” Staley said. “We’re looking at all the scenarios. What it boils down to is, we have to play. Alabama’s playing at a very high level.”
Having already beaten the Crimson Tide twice this season, Staley didn’t seem worried about the difficulties of taking down Bama in a third matchup.
“It’s hard beating a team three times, but again, I’d rather be 2-0 than 0-2 going in to the tournament,” Staley said.
The Gamecocks have made their mark as an elite defensive team, but their intensity has taken a toll on their bodies.
“It’s the end of the season,” Staley said. “I think everybody’s tired, mentally and physically. For us, it’s a good thing we have senior leadership. They’ve been here before. I think at this point, we’re looking at the tournament as being anybody’s game. The most consistent team, the most disciplined team, will find themselves winning basketball games in a shortened period.”
Freshman Aleighsa Welch has been out due to a knee injury suffered in the team’s last matchup against Alabama, but seems to be on pace for a full return by the tournament’s start.
“It’s getting better as the days go by,” Welch said, also noting the difficulties of wearing a knee brace. “I’ve got to get adjusted to it. I think any time you have a brace, it’s different. It kind of weighs me down a little bit.”
The Gamecocks have higher expectations than ever before for this tournament. South Carolina has historically not fared well in SEC postseason play.
“It’s a little different in that we’re winning,” Staley said. “I think we have a legitimate shot at winning the SEC tournament. Even though we’re taking the longest and the hardest road, in which we play the first night, but it’s one where once you get momentum, you’ve got to get a little luck at the same time. We feel good about ourselves. We feel good about the teams that we play and compete against in this league.”
With an NCAA tournament bid seemingly locked in at this point, the Gamecocks are still pushing to go as far as possible in the conference tournament.
Our goal is the SEC championship, so that’s what we’re looking at,” said senior guard La’Keisha Sutton. “I think it’s the same hunger, same intensity, same focus, because we want to build our resume and just keep trying to get wins on the season.”
Sutton also noted changes in Staley’s coaching style that have served the team well, such as her calmer approach and demeanor.
“She doesn’t yell as much, so I think it gives us a chance to reflect on what we’re doing wrong and try to help each other fix our mistakes,” Sutton said.
After a grueling season the tournament is a daunting task for any team, but confidence has remained high especially after having one of the most successful seasons in recent history.
“I think we’re fairly confident,” Staley said. “I think any time you can win ten games in this conference, you take that into the SEC tournament. For us, I think with this senior laden team, they want to win. Their mindset is basically on winning.”
While the Gamecocks have shown they’re capable of beating the league’s best with their veteran presence, even young players like Welch made it clear they plan on taking home their first ever SEC tournament title.
“It’s going to be fun,” Welch said, “but we’re looking to do what nobody thought we could do at the beginning of the season — and that’s go all the way.”