South Carolina’s second-leading scorer will likely miss pivotal matchup against Duke

Redshirt senior guard Lindsey Spann will “probably” not play due to a sprained knee when No. 5 South Carolina women’s basketball faces No. 14 Duke on Sunday, coach Dawn Staley said Thursday night.

“Lindsey’s probably out,” Staley said after the Gamecocks (6-1) beat Western Carolina on Thursday. “Just not enough days to rehab that knee.”

USC announced Spann’s injury just before Thursday’s game. She joined senior guard Bianca Cuevas-Moore on the injured list, leaving the Gamecocks with just nine healthy available players and only four at the guard position. Before Thursday, Spann was second on the team in points and assists per game and led the SEC in 3-point percentage.

Cuevas-Moore has yet to play this regular season as she works her way back from a sprained knee as well. Before the Gamecocks played in the Gulf Coast Showcase over Thanksgiving weekend, Staley said she hoped to get Cuevas-Moore a few minutes in the tournament. That never happened.

On Thursday, Staley did not say whether Cuevas-Moore would play against Duke or not.

“Bianca is slowly getting up to practicing. Her quad looks great, it’s coming back, it’s got some life to it. There was a time in which it just atrophied so bad that the doctor wasn’t willing to allow her to do anything besides rehab. Now she’s on the court, she’s moving up and down. She just hasn’t had any time to have any contact in practices,” Staley said. “But as far as her mindset, she’s ready to go.”

Duke comes to South Carolina fresh off a 69-60 upset of No. 8 Ohio State on Thursday. The Gamecocks and the Blue Devils face off Sunday at Colonial Life Arena, with tipoff set for noon.

This story was originally published November 30, 2017 at 9:40 PM with the headline "South Carolina’s second-leading scorer will likely miss pivotal matchup against Duke."