How to watch, what to watch for as South Carolina hosts Maryland in a top-10 clash

Who: No. 10 South Carolina (2-0) vs. No. 9 Maryland (3-0)

When: 5:30 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 18

Where: Colonial Life Arena

TV: ESPN

Radio: 107.5 FM in Columbia, South Carolina

Series history: South Carolina and Maryland have split the two meetings between the programs, with the Gamecocks taking a road victory last season and the Terrapins claiming a victory in 1995.

Last meeting: The Gamecocks traveled to College Park on Nov. 13, 2017, and took a big 29-13 lead early, before Maryland rallied late to close within three points. USC pulled out the 94-86 victory, led by 32 points and 12 rebounds from A’ja Wilson.

South Carolina’s projected starting lineup: Junior guard Tyasha Harris, redshirt junior guard Te’a Cooper, sophomore guard Bianca Jackson, redshirt senior guard Donyiah Cliney, junior forward Mikiah Herbert Harrigan

Maryland’s projected starting lineup: Freshman guard Taylor Mikesell, junior guard Kalia Charles, sophomore guard Channise Lewis, junior forward Stephanie Jones, senior forward Brianna Fraser

Injury report: Redshirt senior forward Alexis Jennings will remain available in limited stretches after playing 17 minutes against Clemson on Thursday. Redshirt senior guard Bianca Cuevas-Moore remains a “full go” in practice, but coach Dawn Staley said she is “not happy with the way she’s moving,” so she is unlikely to play.

South Carolina notes: The Gamecocks committed 27 turnovers against Clemson’s zone defense, the sixth most in a game in the Dawn Staley era. ... As of Friday afternoon, South Carolina ranks 20th nationally in possessions per 40 minutes according to Her Hoop Stats, the team’s highest rank in at least five years. ... USC’s defense has been its strength in the early going, as the team ranks 26th in the NCAA in points per game allowed, fifth in opponents’ points per possession and first in blocks per game, second in block rate.

Maryland notes: Junior guard Kalia Charles is an All-Big Ten performer who has been named to the watch list for the Cheryl Miller Award, given to the nation’s top small forward. She is averaging 15 points, 7 rebounds and 3.67 assists per game so far this year. ... The Terrapins rank fourth in the country in total rebounds per game and 12th in rebounding margin. ... Maryland coach Brenda Frese is on the verge of her 490th career win, 64 victories ahead of Dawn Staley.

3 key storylines

Breaking the press: South Carolina struggled at times Thursday to break Clemson’s press defense, giving up turnovers and generally looking flustered by the pressure brought on by the Tigers. That was one of the main focuses in Friday’s practice, Staley said, as Maryland is averaging 12 steals and 18.67 turnovers forced per game.

Their press defense is a concern. ... We have to be organized, we have to know what we’re doing,” Staley said. “We have a young team, so you never know how it’s going to turn out, but hopefully by (Saturday), with another day of preparation, we’ll iron out some of the things we didn’t like.”

Game of the year so far: This will be the first meeting of any top-10 teams in women’s college basketball this season, and while it may not tell observers everything about where Maryland and South Carolina will be at the end of the year, it does have the potential to set each team’s year on a trajectory, and USC isn’t discounting its importance.

“I think it won’t be an indicator of how good or bad we are, it will just be a game between two top teams in the country to see who’s more disciplined at this stage in the game,” Staley said.

And if it’s anything like last season’s contest, it should be a thrilling back-and-forth contest. Staley said she didn’t watch film of the 2017 game to prepare for this year’s game, but she does expect it to once again be up-tempo and intense.

“The pace will be pretty much the same. I just remember us getting up and down the floor and them getting up and down the floor. ... But of course, how we score is gonna be a lot different, not having A’ja.”

Harris trying to break out: Junior guard and captain Tyasha Harris has had an up-and-down start to her season. After having an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.37 and averaging 10.4 points per game last season, those numbers have fallen to 1.38 and 8.5, respectively, this year. And Staley is constantly after her most veteran player to shoot more often that she does.

“I’d like to see her a lot more aggressive shooting the basketball, but Ty picks and chooses her spots,” Staley said. “So I’m not alarmed by it. I think she’s a processer, so she’s feeling everything out, and she’s not going to be the one who takes 20 shots every game.”