Fifth year guard Te-Hina Paopao had 14 points in South Carolina's win vs Florida on Thursday. Why Dawn Staley calls her 'an elevator'.

The Gamecocks’ defense also played a critical role, holding Florida to just 30.6% shooting in the first half and forcing the Gators into difficult possessions. Liv McGill led Florida with 15 points, but the Gators had no answer for South Carolina’s depth and pace.

South Carolina and UConn have played 13 times since Staley became the Gamecocks’ head coach in 2008. Staley said this year’s UConn is similar to Huskies teams of the past, but freshman Sarah Strong aids their offense. Strong, the No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2024, is second in scoring for the Huskies with 16.1 points per game.