How To Watch: #1 South Carolina at Texas A&M

South Carolina's women's basketball team could be involved in a low-scoring affair on Sunday when they take on the Texas A&M Aggies.

When Dawn Staley and the South Carolina Gamecocks play in College Station later today, they'll face a Texas A&M squad that might accomplish a rare feat: match Carolina's defensive intensity. After going 9-20 overall and 2-14 in SEC play this past season, Joni Taylor's team has made tremendous strides in year two of her tenure, currently sitting at 14-3 since the start of the season and already matching their conference win total from year one.

The primary catalyst behind the Aggies' significant improvements is their stingy defensive play. South Carolina is ranked No. 1 in the country in terms of field goal percentage defense, holding opponents to 29.3 percent shooting from the floor. A&M ranks just two spots behind the Gamecocks at No. 3 in this category, holding their opponents to just 32.7 percent shooting from the field.

Chloe Kitts tries to go up with the ball against an A&M defender in the Gamecocks' 2022 matchup against the Aggies (29th Dec., 2022) / Jeff Blake | USA Today Network

Regarding defending the three-point line, Texas A&M holds an advantage over Carolina, being slotted 14th in the country and holding opposing perimeter shooters to 24.8 percent behind the arc, while Dawn's squad ranks 26th, limiting the opposition to 26 percent three-point shooting percentage. The Aggies have also shown an ability to consistently beat their opponents on the glass, possessing an average rebounding margin of +12.8, tied for the 8th-best mark in women's college basketball. South Carolina ranks 4th in that aforementioned category with a margin of +15.3.

Today's game is strength vs. strength, but the Gamecocks also need to account for A&M's offensive balance. The Aggies possess balance in terms of scoring prowess (four players 10.2 or more points per game), size (three starters listed at 6'0 or taller), and rebounding (four players averaging 5.4 or more rebounds per game). Their biggest threat from behind the arc is Endyia Rogers, who's shooting 33.7 percent from that area on 89 shots this season.

How To Watch: No. 1 South Carolina at Texas A&M

• Gameday: Sunday, January 21st, 2024.
• Venue: Reed Arena (Bryan-College State, TX)
• Game time: 5:00 PM ET | 4:00 PM CT
• TV: SEC Network
• Radio: Gamecock Radio Network
• Live stream on fuboTV: Start with a 7-day free trial!

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