Cock-A-Doodle Brew 2/12: Seems impossible

Today: Starting 5-0, breaking records, and more.

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Good morning. Gamecock softball has only been back on the field for one weekend, and they’re already making SportsCenter Top 10-worthy plays.

What else is mixed into today’s Brew? ⤵️

📚 Record-setting rookie
🏀 Undeniable talent
🤙 And much, much more

🎥 GAMECOCKS+

While we celebrate South Carolina women’s basketball's dominating win over UConn in front of a sell-out crowd yesterday afternoon, let’s throw it back to one of our favorite Gamecocks Access pieces from 2023: South Carolina’s top-five showdown on the road against the Huskies.

📈 STOCK UP

🔼 Seems Impossible. South Carolina women’s hoops showed up and showed out yesterday afternoon, knocking off No. 11 UConn, 83-65, at Colonial Life Arena. Te-Hina Paopao’s hot shooting (she finished with 21 points),15 points from Ashlyn Watkins, and 14 from Chloe Kitts made for a convincing win over the Huskies.

Here are our favorite moments from the huge win:

🔼 5-0. No. 23 South Carolina softball started its season in a big way over the weekend, going 5-0! The Gamecocks knocked off Jacksonville State twice, Virginia twice, and UNCG. South Carolina outscored its opponents, 29-11. Freshman Reganne Bennett connected on a hit in her first collegiate at-bat, and delivered a win in her first outing on the mound. The Gamecocks will head to Mexico for the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge beginning February 15.

🔼 Record-Setting Rookie. JaMeesia Ford keeps breaking records! During Day 1 of the Tiger Paw Invite, she set a new personal best in the 400m, clocking in at 51.33, fast enough for second in the NCAA, and third in South Carolina history. On Day 2, she ran a 22.36 in the 200m, giving her the U20 world record for the fastest indoor 200m sprint on a short track.

The 200m was kind to the Gamecock men, too, as freshman Nyck Harbor set a personal best in the sprint with a 20.83 time, giving him the sixth-fastest indoor 200m time in South Carolina history.

🔼 X Factor. Xavier Legette is in full prep mode for the NFL Combine. Legette told On3 that he’s “been hearing a lot of great feedback. They aren’t telling me where I’m actually projecting, but a lot of them, they just keep telling me, they know I’m going to be going pretty high. They keep telling me just keep striving for the best, and you’re gonna get the best. Right off the bat, man, that’s just telling me they’ve got me pretty high.”

In recent mock drafts, CBS Sports’ Tom Fornelli projected Legette to the Buffalo Bills at No. 28 overall, while ESPN’s Matt Miller slotted Legette in at No. 45 overall. For his part, Legette’s focus is on Indianapolis and turning in as fast a time as he can as he preps for the next level.

🔼 Undeniable Talent. In case you missed it, former Gamecock GG Jackson inked a four-year contract with the Memphis Grizzlies to close out last week. Sports Illustrated’s Arya Chawla breaks down GG’s first 15 games in the rotation and writes that our guy is well on his way to “proving his talent is undeniable.” Read the full piece here.

🔼 Not Losing This Game. Collin Murray-Boyles once again dominated for the Garnet & Black, scoring a career-high 30 points on Saturday afternoon as the Gamecocks knocked off Vanderbilt to get to 21-3 on the season. The Gamecocks came out of halftime scorching hot, tying a season-high for second-half points with 47.

Murray-Boyles became the first Gamecock since GG Jackson to score 30 points and is the first Power Five freshman to score 25+ points on 13+ made field goals while shooting at least 80 percent since Zion Williamson did it during the 2019 ACC Tournament.

Go ahead, watch his electrifying block one more time to take this kind of energy into your Monday morning.

🤔 GAMECOCK TRIVIA

A Need For Speed. JaMeesia Ford’s 22.36 200m time broke the South Carolina program record. Do you know who previously held that record for the Garnet & Black?

Got it? Scroll down to the bottom of this email for the right answer!

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📬 A LOOK AHEAD

Monday 2/12

⛳ Women’s Golf @ San Diego State Classic Round 1 (Santa Fe, CA) | Live Scoring

⛳ Men’s Golf @ Puerto Rico Classic Round 2 (Rio Grande, PR) | Live Scoring

Tuesday 2/13

⛳ Women’s Golf @ San Diego State Classic Round 2 (Santa Fe, CA) | Live Scoring

⛳ Men’s Golf @ Puerto Rico Classic Round 3 (Rio Grande, PR) | Live Scoring

Wednesday 2/14

🎾 Women’s Tennis vs. Clemson @ 4:00pm ET | Live Stats | Live Streaming

🏀 Men’s Basketball @ Auburn @ 8:30pm ET on SEC Network

Thursday 2/15

🏀 Women’s Basketball @ Tennessee @ 7:00pm ET on ESPN

🥎 Softball vs. Utah @ 7:00pm ET (Puerto Vallarta, Mexico) on FloSports | Live Stats

🥎 Softball vs. Wichita State @ 9:30pm ET (Puerto Vallarta, Mexico) on FloSports | Live Stats

🏃 Track & Field @ Arkansas Qualifier (Fayetteville, AR) on SEC Network+

Friday 2/16 - Monday 2/19

🎾 Men’s Tennis @ ITA National Team Indoor Championships (New York, NY)

Friday 2/16

🥎 Softball vs. UC Davis @ 1:30pm ET (Puerto Vallarta, Mexico) on FloSports | Live Stats

⚾ Baseball vs. Miami (Ohio) @ 4:00pm ET on SEC Network+ | Tickets

Saturday 2/17

🏀 Men’s Basketball vs. LSU @ 3:30pm ET on SEC Network | Tickets

🏃 Track & Field @ USC Invite (Columbia, SC)

🏃 Track & Field @ Alex Wilson Invitational (South Bend, IN)

🏖️ Beach Volleyball’s Garnet and Black Scrimmage @ 10:00am ET

🎾 Women’s Tennis @ Wake Forest @ 11:00am ET | Live Stats | Live Streaming

⚾ Baseball vs. Miami (Ohio) @ 12:00pm ET on SEC Network+ | Tickets

🥎 Softball vs. UC San Diego @ 1:30pm ET (Puerto Vallarta, Mexico) on FloSports | Live Stats

⚽ Men’s Soccer vs. Crown Legacy FC (Exhibition) @ 3:00pm ET

Sunday 2/18

🏀 Women’s Basketball vs. Georgia @ 1:00pm ET on ABC | Tickets

⚾ Baseball vs. Miami (Ohio) @ 1:30pm ET on SEC Network+ | Tickets

🎉 TRIVIA ANSWER

Answer: Shalonda Solomon previously held the 200m record for the Gamecocks with a time of 22.57 set in 2006.

🤙 Have a good Monday, y’all.