Jewell Loyd shines brightest for Irish

If there was a way to stop Jewell Loyd, somebody would have done it by now.

“We do have a game plan in for what to do with a player like Jewell Loyd,” South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said. “You have to make her work.”

And make sure Loyd doesn’t work your team to death – which is where she specializes.

The Gamecocks start the Final Four against second-ranked Notre Dame, featuring Loyd, a unanimous first-team All-America guard. The junior averages 19.9 points per game and has been circled, starred, exclamation-pointed and underlined on every opponent’s scouting report since she enrolled.

“Stop her,” the thinking goes, “and stop the Irish.” It’s a good plan.

It never works.

Loyd can drive, shoot, follow and put back the ball any time she pleases. She scored 31 points in a loss to Connecticut in December, torched DePaul for 41, popped Tennessee for 34 and threw 31 at Georgia Tech. What’s encouraging for the Gamecocks is that Loyd has not shot well during the NCAA tournament – her past three games have yielded a 15-for-54 performance (28 percent) from the field when she normally shoots around 45 percent. USC might not have to stop her if she keeps stopping herself.

Also encouraging is that USC is familiar with Loyd, although the Gamecocks never have played her. They see the likes of Loyd every day in practice with their own Tiffany Mitchell.

“They play the same roles for both of their teams,” point guard Khadijah Sessions said. “They’re both really talented with the ball. It’s going to be a good matchup between them.”

Mitchell is an elite scorer but rarely needs to be because of the Gamecocks’ depth. But it’s been her show the past two games with USC going to its no-doubt gameplan at the end of games – give the ball to Mitchell and clear out of the way.

Practicing against that, USC feels it has a solid handle on how to guard Loyd. Mitchell will start on her – “that’s the matchup everybody wants to see,” Sessions said – and Sessions and specialist Olivia Gaines also will help.

“I think it shouldn’t be that hard of a matchup for me, but I’m going to give her everything I got,” Gaines said. “It will eventually be me or Khadijah Sessions on her at some point in the game.”

Loyd spoke of Mitchell, the two greeting each other before practice on Saturday and saying they’re each looking forward to the matchup. “We know Tiffany Mitchell is one of their better defenders, and she might be guarding me,” she said. “I think we both have the same mindset of attacking.”

Loyd will try to do what she always does – get off to a hot start, so teams will concentrate on her, allowing Loyd to involve her teammates. While Loyd gets the attention, Notre Dame starts three others that average at least 10 points per game.

Mitchell will do the same, although her teammates are much more used to doing it themselves. They can take over the scoring if Mitchell is being shadowed.

“I have a lot of concerns about South Carolina,” coach Muffet McGraw said. “Their depth is probably the best in the game.”

The Gamecocks say they’ve been able to shed the fun and distractions of being in the Final Four in order to concentrate on the mission – they’re two wins from a national championship.

Although there’s still a little fun. Mitchell and Loyd were honored as part the WBCA All-America team on Saturday. After the ceremony, Loyd grabbed her backpack and waved at Mitchell.

“Bye buddy!,” she said.

Mitchell giggled and waved back.

“Bye, buddy.”

This story was originally published April 4, 2015 at 9:06 PM with the headline "Jewell Loyd shines brightest for Irish."