WHO: South Carolina (23-6, 11-5 SEC) vs. Alabama (13-17, 3-14)
WHEN: 2:30 p.m. Thursday
WHERE: The Arena At Gwinnett Center, Duluth, Ga.
TV: SportSouth
RADIO: WISW-AM 1320
SERIES: USC leads 17-15
COACHES: Dawn Staley (90-64 in five seasons at USC, 262-144 in 13 seasons); Wendell Hudson (68-86 in six seasons at Alabama, 307-213 in 17 seasons)
WHAT TO WATCH FOR: South Carolina won a school-record 11 SEC games in the regular season, topping the mark of 10 recorded in 2001-02 and 2011-12. The Gamecocks finished tied for fourth for the second straight season. They have won 36 SEC games in the past four years — the highest four-year win total since joining the league in 1991-92. ... The 23 regular-season wins ties the school record set in 1979-80. ... USC is 6-21 all-time in the SEC tournament but reached the semifinals last season. It was the second straight year they won at least one game in the conference tourney. ... The Gamecocks have held all but three opponents to 60 points or fewer. They are sixth in the nation in scoring defense. ... Alabama advanced to the second round with a 63-36 victory against Mississippi State on Wednesday night. USC had a bye in the first round ... The Gamecocks defeated the Crimson Tide 65-53 on Feb. 7 to run their winning streak in the series to seven games. USC has won 10 of the past 11 and 14 of 17 against the Tide.
Chris Dearing
STARTING LINEUPS
GAMECOCKS
| POS. | HT. | NAME | PPG. |
| F | 6-0 | Ashley Bruner | 9.7 |
| F | 6-0 | Aleighsa Welch | 12.2 |
| G | 5-8 | Ieasia Walker | 9.4 |
| G | 5-10 | Sancheon White | 4.6 |
| G | 5-9 | Tiffany Mitchell | 9.3 |
CRIMSON TIDE
| POS. | HT. | NAME | PPG. |
| F | 6-2 | Nikki Hegstetter | 2.4 |
| F | 6-1 | Kaneisha Horn | 8.4 |
| G | 5-10 | Daisha Simmons | 12.4 |
| G | 5-7 | Jasmine Robinson | 9.7 |
| G/F | 5-11 | Meghan Perkins | 8.5 |
Gamecocks top Alabama in SEC tournament opener
Staley satisfied with Sessions’ development
