COLUMBIA — South Carolina women’s basketball was voted to finish first in the SEC preseason media poll.
The Gamecocks are embarking on the 2024-25 season with a 38-game win streak. South Carolina finished its first undefeated season in April, defeating Iowa 87-75 in the national championship. The Gamecocks haven’t lost a game in Colonial Life Arena since Dec. 3, 2020.
South Carolina had been the favorite to win the SEC every year since 2018 but last year, the Gamecocks were picked to finish second behind 2023 national champion LSU.
Fifth-year guard Te-Hina Paopao was South Carolina’s lone first-team All-SEC selection. Sophomore MiLaysia Fulwiley and junior Raven Johnson were named second-team All-SEC.
The Gamecocks travel to Memphis, Tennessee, to play an exhibition game on Tuesday (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+) against Memphis as part of the Hoops for St. Jude Tip Off Classic at FedEx Forum. The event is in support of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and 100% of the proceeds will be benefitting St. Jude.
South Carolina returns all but one key player from last year. Center Kamilla Cardoso was drafted by the Chicago Sky in the 2024 WNBA draft in April. She averaged a team-high 14.4 points and 9.7 rebounds per game last season for South Carolina.
The Gamecocks are currently without junior forward Ashlyn Watkins, who is suspended from team activities following her arrest on Aug. 31. Watkins was charged with first-degree assault and battery and kidnapping, and is scheduled for a court appearance on Oct. 25.
South Carolina landed forward Maryam Dauda from Arkansas via the transfer portal in May, and have two new freshmen, Maddy McDaniel and Joyce Edwards. Sophomores Fulwiley and Tessa Johnson return at the guard position, joining Paopao, Johnson and senior Bree Hall. Without Watkins and Cardoso, forwards Sakima Walker, Sania Feagin and Chloe Kitts are the core three returners for Staley.
Preseason SEC order of finish
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South Carolina
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Texas
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LSU
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Oklahoma
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Ole Miss
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Alabama
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Tennessee
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Kentucky
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Florida
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Vanderbilt
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Mississippi State
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Auburn
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Texas A&M
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Georgia
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Missouri
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Arkansas
Preseason SEC Players of the Year
Flau’Jae Johnson, LSU
Aneesah Morrow, LSU
Madison Booker, Texas
Preseason All-SEC First Team
Sarah Ashlee Barker, Alabama
Georgia Amoore, Kentucky
Aneesah Morrow, LSU
Flau’Jae Johnson, LSU
Raegan Beers, Oklahoma
Te-Hina Paopao, South Carolina
Madison Booker, Texas
Preseason All-SEC Second Team
Mikaylah Williams, LSU
Madison Scott, Ole Miss
Skylar Vann, Oklahoma
Raven Johnson, South Carolina
MiLaysia Fulwiley, South Carolina
Rori Harmon, Texas
SCHEDULE: South Carolina women’s basketball schedule 2024-25: SEC game times, TV announced
Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at lkesin@gannett.com and follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @Lulukesin
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: South Carolina women’s basketball projected to finish first in SEC poll
