The South Carolina Gamecocks women's basketball team hosts the High Point Panthers on Wednesday, December 2 at the Colonial Life Arena. The game is scheduled for an 11 am start. Why? Who knows? We played a matinee at Wake Forest, last season. Maybe someone's trying to start a new trend. I hope it doesn't catch on; this schedule means I've got to burn a vacation day (as will most other fans) and heaven only knows where we'll find parking in the middle of the morning, with classes in session and every Vista business open for Christmas shopping.

The Gamecocks and the Panthers have played three times in the past 4 years and the Gamecocks have won all three by large margins, 20 points being the closest game in December of 2008. However, that game was very tight until the Gamecocks broke it open in the second half; the teams were tied with 30 points apiece at halftime.

The Panthers lost only one player from last year's squad. Through their first several games this season, these players dominated the team statistics: sophomore forward Shamia Brown leads the scoring with 14.7 point per game, junior forward Mackenzie Maier is second with 11.3 points per game and is a 3-point shooter. Junior forward Amy Dodd leads the team in rebounding with 7 rebounds per game and is also third in scoring with a 9.3 points per game average, while junior guard Frances Fields leads the team in assists and steals. The Panthers are much the same team as last year, with 4 players listed at 6 feet tall or taller. Two of those players are freshmen. The Gamecocks, on the other hand, return some familiar faces, but are a much different team than last year with two new players in the starting lineup.

The Gamecocks are still a work in progress, trying to find their rhythm and style as they play these early-season games. The pattern, so far, has been for the trio of freshman center Kelsey Bone, junior guard Valerie Nainima and sohpomore guard Lakeisha Sutton to lead the scoring.  It's a nice surprise, and a bonus, when another player breaks into that group, as sophomore post Charenee Stephens did  in the San Diego State game, where she lead the scoring with 20 points on 9-13 shooting.

Bone, Stephens and junior forward Jewel May are the main rebounders, but freshman forward Ashley Bruner is also an excellent rebounder when she gets on the floor; she has played limited minutes, so far, this season. Junior point guard Samone Kennedy continues to direct the traffic on the floor; in the 3 games of the Paradise Jam tournament, she had 8 assists to only 3 turnovers, along with17 points scored.

There is no obvious height advantage, as the Gamecocks list only 5 players at 6-0 or abover. However, the depth and breadth of experience of the Carolina players should give them some advantage in this area. Talent and experience will be the difference in the paint, though it may take some time to establish dominance in the game.

The Gamecocks have the edge in the kind of competition they face. Expect High Point to put up a fierce battle, remembering how long they stayed in the game, last season.  But in the end, the Gamecocks shoud put them away for a victory.

The game is at 11 am at the Colonial Life Arena on Wednesday, December 2.