NCAAW: SC’s McDaniel, Texas’ Lee headline underrated SEC sophomores

On Monday night, No. 6 LSU won their fifth-straight game, eventually pulling away from visiting Florida for the 89-60 victory.

Jada Richard led LSU with 20 points, with her 12 third-quarter points helping the Tigers finally separate from the Gators. A starter in 20 of 21 games, Richard’s emergence as a trusted point guard has boosted LSU thus far, and she could be even more critical moving forward. Last season, the lack of a primary point guard was a glaring weakness for the Tigers.

That Richard, only a sophomore, has gained the trust of head coach Kim Mulkey, herself a former point guard, is impressive. She and the Tigers are back at it on Thursday, hosting Arkansas in Baton Rouge (8 p.m. ET, SECN+).

Richard also is not the only sophomore who occupies an important role for her SEC team.

There are the well-known sophomores stars, headlined by No. 5 Vanderbilt’s Mikayla Blakes, a top-three scorer nationally who is on her way to All-American honors, and No. 3 South Carolina’s Joyce Edwards, who likewise is building a strong case for All-American accolades.

But, don’t discount a number of other less-heralded second years, who, not unlike Richard, may have less starry stats and make quieter contributions, but could help determine if their teams achieve their ambitions. Along with Blakes, Edwards and Richard, keep an eye on these sophomores during the Thursday-Friday SEC slate.

Dani Carnegie is THE sophomore star for No. 23 Georgia. The transfer from Georgia Tech leads the Bulldogs in scoring, notching almost 19 points per game as she nets almost 42 percent of her 3-pointers.

In Georgia’s biggest wins, Trinity Tuner has stepped up as her co-star.

She earned her first-career double-double when Georgia upset No. 17 Ole Miss, with 13 points and 10 rebounds. The Bulldogs’ leader in assists also had six dimes in the rout of the Rebels. Turner then was on the court for all 40 minutes in the Dawgs’ win at then-No. 11 Kentucky, hitting two triples as she scored 14 points.

Having just become the record 10th SEC team to enter the top 25, Georgia will try to cement their status against similarly aspirational SEC opponent in No. 24 Alabama (6:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network).

Out of 363 Division I teams, No. 4 Texas ranks No. 359 in 3-point attempts per game with only 12.8, and nearly half of them come from the hands of sophomore Jordan Lee.

Lee’s signature skill makes her essential to the Longhorns, serving as the sole floor spacer for a squad that otherwise does its work from inside the arc. Madison Booker’s sweet middies, Rori Harmon’s drives, Kyla Oldacre’s post ups and Justice Carlton’s putbacks would be much more difficult if opponents weren’t worried about Lee burying a triple from behind the arc. She’s hitting over 35 percent on her almost six attempts per game, contributing to her 14.2 points per game.

Lee, however, is not just a shooter. She also meets the high defensive standards set by head coach Vic Schaefer, evidenced by her almost two steals per game.

After the Longhorns’ previous game, a trip to Arkansas last Sunday, was postponed due to winter weather, the team returns to the court on Thursday in Florida for a game against the Gators (7 p.m. ET, SECN+).

Although No. 10 Oklahoma’s upside comes from their high-octane offense, the Sooners can’t expect to compete with the SEC’s best without their top-10 defense.

Sophomore Zya Vann embodies the best of the Sooners’ D, which currently is holding SEC opponents to under 35 percent shooting from the field, the best mark in conference play. Vann assumes point-of-attack responsibilities for the Sooners, successfully pestering her way to a team-best 2.4 steals per game. In conference games, she has supplemented her thievery with an increased effort on the glass, grabbing 5.6 boards per game.

On a team with a high-usage point guard, highly-efficient post player and high-volume 3-point shooter, Vann seamlessly slots into her “little things” role.

She and the Sooners did suffer a bit of a scare at Auburn on Sunday, almost erasing all the good vibes that emanated from their upset of South Carolina. They survived, and now host Texas A&M in Norman on Thursday (7 p.m. ET, SECN+).

Maddy McDaniel (South Carolina)

The stats for the player nicknamed Mouse are modest, but the offense for No. 3 South Carolina floats on during her steadily increasing minutes.

Sophomore Maddy McDaniel is not much of a shooter or scorer, yet she’s steady with the ball in her hands, operating as the epitome of a “traditional” point guard as a reserve for the Gamecocks. Her comfort at the controls of the offense, in combination with the characteristic Carolina grit she brings on defense, has earned her 22 minutes per game in SEC action. Against Vanderbilt last Sunday, McDaniel logged 29 minutes, contributing a rare 3-pointer in addition to four assists.

Thursday night’s game at Auburn presents another opportunity for McDaniel to make a quiet, but consistent, impact for the Gamecocks (9 p.m. ET, SEC Network).

With No. 17 Ole Miss’ Sira Thienou, it’s hard not to press fast forward. The 6-foot-1 sophomore from Mali profiles as the kind of 3-and-D player who is perfect for the modern WNBA.

However, such a label might limit the upside she’s flashed for the Rebels. Although she’s averaging less than 10 points per game while shooting under 37 percent overall and just over 27 percent from 3, she’s had performances that entice, suggesting that Cotie McMahon was not wrong when she called Thienou “our superstar” after Ole Miss upset Oklahoma.

In that one, Thienou finished with 20 points, going 9-for-12 from the field and 2-for-2 from 3. She followed that up with 20 more points, plus five steals, against Mississippi State. That Thienou has gone 5-for-12 from 3 over Ole Miss’ last two games is also encouraging, as her shooting stroke indicates she has untapped potential as a shooter.

Thienou and the Rebels will have been off for over a week when they head to Birmingham to play No. 5 Vanderbilt on Friday (3 p.m. ET, SECN+).

Originally scheduled to be played in Oxford on Thursday evening, the game was rescheduled and relocated to Birmingham’s Legacy Arena (with free admission) due to lingering icy conditions in Mississippi. Ole Miss also was supposed to host No. 15 Tennessee on Monday; winter weather led to the postponement of that game, which has yet to be rescheduled.