NCAAW: No. 1 South Carolina meets No. 9 NC State in Final Four rematch

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A Final Four rematch between the No. 1-ranked and defending national champion South Carolina Gamecocks and No. 9-ranked NC State Wolfpack headlines the 2024 Ally Tipoff in Charlotte, NC on Sunday, Nov. 10 (3 p.m. ET, ESPN).

The Gamecocks, of course, triumphed in that Final Four showdown, using a 29-6 third quarter to pull away for a 78-59 win. South Carolina was powered by a 22-point and 11-rebound double-double from Kamilla Cardoso, an advantage they will be without now that the 6-foot-6 center is in the WNBA. The Gamecocks should have the services of junior forward Ashlyn Watkins. Watkins, who corralled 20 rebounds in the Final Four game, is expected to make her season debut, having been suspended from the team due to assault and kidnapping charges that were dismissed last week.

However, both South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley and NC State head coach Wes Moore will be more concerned about what the matchup means for their teams this season, rather than what happened in April. Neither squad looked particularly sharp in their season opener.

On Monday, South Carolina struggled to put away a spunky Michigan team, eventually escaping Las Vegas with a 68-62 win. The Wolverines stymied the Gamecocks’ offense with a zone defense, a strategy which was made more effective by South Carolina’s 5-for-26 3-point shooting. South Carolina also failed to control the glass in expected fashion; Michigan matched the defending champs with 52 rebounds. But the Gamecocks’ defense proved as decisive as ever, turning over the Wolverines and holding them to 21 percent shooting in the second half. Junior forward Chloe Kitts led South Carolina with a 19-point and 14-rebound double-double. Sophomore guard Tessa Johnson was the one Gamecock whose shot was falling, as she made three 3s and scored 15 points from off the bench.

On Tuesday, NC State found themselves with only a three-point halftime advantage over visiting East Tennessee State. Like the Gamecocks, the Wolfpack suffered through a poor shooting performance from behind the arc, going 5-for-20 from 3. Yet, enough shots began to fall in the second half, allowing them to separate for a comfortable 80-55 win. Senior guard Aziaha James scored 15 of her 17 points after halftime, while sophomore guard Zoe Brooks led the team with a career-best 21 points.

Moore, however, seems unsure about his frontcourt rotation. Senior center Lizzy Williamson got the start, but played only six minutes. From the bench, Moore doled out frontcourt minutes to sophomore center Mallory Collier (16 min.), freshman center Lorena Awou (11 min.), freshman forward Tilda Trygger (10 min,) and sophomore forward Maddie Cox (eight min.). The quintet of bigs combined for 14 points and 15 rebounds.

That’s not going to cut it against a South Carolina froncourt that, even without Cardoso, is one of the deepest in the country. Along with Kitts and Watkins, there’s freshman forward Joyce Edwards, who had 10 points and seven boards in her 29-minute college debut. Staley also can call on senior forward Sania Feagin, junior forward and Arkansas transfer Maryam Dauda and redshirt freshman forward Adhel Tac.

To get his most talented players on the court, Moore likely would need to go with four-guard lineups. Yet, those lineups risk getting overwhelmed by South Carolina’s size and athleticism, especially on the glass. The ability of Kitts, Watkins and Edwards to guard effectively on the perimeter also can nullify any small-ball advantages NC State could conjure.

Barring a severe shooting disparity that favors NC State, it’s hard to see South Carolina not ultimately pulling away for the victory, just as they did in the spring.

New eras clash in Virginia Tech-Iowa

Last season, Virginia Tech and Iowa met in the lone Ally Tipoff game, when a 44-piece from Caitlin Clark pushed the No. 2 Hawkeyes past the No. 18 Hokies, 80-76, despite 31 points from Georgia Amoore and a 16-point and 16-rebound double-double from Liz Kitley.

None of those names will take the court in Charlotte on Sunday (5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2). The coaches on the sidelines also have changed, as Jan Jensen has taken over for the retired Lisa Bluder at Iowa and Megan Duffy has succeeded the departed Kenny Brooks at Virginia Tech. It’s a new era for both programs. And Sunday’s matchup will provide a hint as to whether Jensen’s Hawkeyes or Duffy’s Hokies are more likely to exceed the muted expectations for their unranked teams.

Both teams began their seasons with wins over overmatched opponents. As our Zachary Draves documented, newcomer Lucy Olsen, a senior guard transfer from Villanova, appeared to quickly acclimate to wearing white, black and yellow, leading her new team with 19 points in the win over Northern Illinois. For the Hokies, it was returning players who did the heavy lifting against UNC-Wilmington. Senior forward Matilda Ekh had 18 points and 14 boards, while senior forward Rose Micheaux, sophomore guard Carleigh Wenzel and sophomore forward Carys Baker all added 14 points. Because that foursome stuck around Blacksburg, Duffy is equipped with an experienced squad during her debut season.

Will that experience and familiarity help the Hokies prevail over a Hawkeye team that features newer, less experienced players?