The South Carolina Gamecocks women's basketball team hosts the Auburn Tigers on Sunday afternoon at the Colonial Life Arena.

The Tigers were hit hard by graduation, after the 08-09 season, losing 4 starters (including the SEC Player of the Year, DeWanna Bonner) from the regular-season Southeastern Conference championship team--which is not to say that they are devoid of talent or experience. The lone senior on the team is KeKe Carrier, who sat out the 07-08 season and returned, last year, somewhat slimmed down and in a slightly diminished role on the team. This year, apparently, is KeKe's year and this is definitely KeKe's team. Carrier was SEC Player of the Week, just last week. She and USC's Kelsey Bone were among the 4 players tied for the conference lead in double-doubles, at that time. She averages nearly a double-double, leading the team in scoring with 14.4 points per game, along with junior guard Alli Smalley (who plays substantially more minutes per game.) KeKe also leads the team in rebounding with 7.9 per game, closely followed by redshirt junior forward (out last year with an injury) Jordan Greenleaf, who hauls down 7.7 rebounds per game, who also plays a lot more minutes per game than Carrier does.

This team has a short bench and despite scouring the Auburn website, I could not find a printed explanation of why sophomore guard Morgan Jennings and junior guard Reneisha Hobbs, both on the original roster, no longer appear to be active with the team. As of this writing, sophomore F/G Chantel Hilliard was only semi-active, recovering from an injury and considered day-to-day. The rest of the team consists of sophomore guard Parrisha Simmons and 3 freshmen, most of whom have been pressed into service already. (Most of the sophomores have little game experience, having been afforded the opportunity to watch last year's championship team and play behind them.) Freshman Morgan Toles looks like the point guard for the next 4 seasons, already entrenched as a starter. Simmons has started more than half of the Tigers' games and appears poised to lock down the 5th starting position, though freshman guard Nicolle Thomas has played a substantial role, as well. Head coach Nell Fortner can afford to leave one starting position open to whomever is playing the best, as long as they don't play "like freshmen."

In a balanced attack, of necessity, the Tigers have a few experienced players and a lot of players who are learning as they go. That sounds a lot like the South Carolina Gamecocks, actually, except that the Tigers are coming off of a championship season and the Gamecocks are rising from the basement. Looks like they'll more or less meet in the middle, regardless of the starting point. It should be a great matchup, especially in the paint. Carrier, while the most senior player on either team, has only become a full-time starter this season. She is 6-7 and a widebody player, at any weight, and is currently the leader and key player for the Tigers. It will be a smaller team, when she is resting, so the Gamecocks will face a variety of challenges against this team. (Her successor, 6-8 freshman Pascale West, plays only 9 minutes a game.) Carolina's freshman center Kelsey bone will definitely have her hands full with Carrier, but she is still quicker and more mobile than the Carrier we have known and Bone can play over 30 minutes a game, if needed. Carrier averages just 20 minutes per game--but she has been incredibly productive while on the court, this season. Bone will get help inside from junior forward Jewel may, sophomore forward Charenee Stephens and freshman forward Ashley Bruner. On the outside, and all over the floor, the Gamecock guards are led by junior guard Valerie Nainima, who leads the team in scoring and ferocity, with help from junior Samone Kennedy, sophomore LaKeisha Sutton and freshman Ieasia Walker, all playing substantial minutes. The guard position is still a bit inconsistent; both Kennedy and Walker have had brilliant moments/games, but also times when they are more turnover-prone than is helpful. They have additional backup from senior Cocoa Falohun and freshman Ebony Wilson.

The game against the Auburn Tigers is Sunday, January 17 and tipoff is set for 3 pm.