How loss to South Carolina, Dawn Staley helped turn TCU into nation's tallest team
· Yahoo Sports
In leading TCU women’s basketball to back-to-back Elite Eight appearances, coach Mark Campbell has heavily utilized the transfer portal.
This season, two of the Horned Frogs’ biggest additions were recruited, in part, due to TCU’s loss to South Carolina last season.
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On Dec. 8, 2024, South Carolina beat TCU 85-52, and one of Campbell’s biggest takeaways was that his team needed more size. In the offseason, TCU added Clara Silva from Kentucky and Kennedy Basham from Arizona State, both of whom are 6-foot-7. He also signed Sarah Portlock and Emily Hunter, who are 6-foot-8 and 6-foot-7, respectively, for his 2025 class.
“One thing that I thought we'd try and close that gap in, one of the areas, was size,” Campbell said. “And, so, I think we did a great job going out and building a roster where we are a little bigger and stronger this year.”
No. 3 seed TCU (32-5) will play No. 1 seed South Carolina (34-3) in the Elite Eight at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California, on March 30 (9 p.m. ET, ESPN). The winner will play UConn in the Final Four on April 3 in Phoenix.
Silva has started all 37 games this season and averages 9.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.8 blocks, which ranked second in the Big 12. Basham averages 2.8 points and 3.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in 12.1 minutes. Hunter has only played in seven games, and Portlock hasn't played in any.
TCU is the only team in the country with four players 6-foot-7 or taller and says it is the tallest team in the country by average height at 6 feet, 2½ inches.
With its boost in size, TCU led the Big 12 in rebounding, a skill Campbell thinks is critically necessary against the Gamecocks, who rank 10th in the NCAA in rebounds per game.
“Rebounding against South Carolina, you have to be able to battle them on the boards,” Campbell said. “If they punk you and can get offensive rebounds and shoot layups, you have no shot. So one of the huge areas is being great on the glass.”
Silva and Basham will be tasked with guarding and scoring against 6-foot-6 Madina Okot and 6-foot-7 Alicia Tournebize in the paint. Okot had nine points and 14 rebounds in the Sweet 16win vs Oklahoma, and Tournebize added four points and three rebounds.
Silva and Basham also will likely help with trying to keep forward Joyce Edwards, who leads South Carolina with 19.9 points per game, limited in the paint.
“Their post players are some of the best posts in college basketball," Campbell said. “… Kennedy Basham is going to have to have a huge role against these guys. We're going to feed both Silva and Basham, in order to compete and hold our own inside against them.”
Tia Reid covers Jackson State sports for the Clarion Ledger. Email her at [email protected] and follow her on X @tiareid65.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: How South Carolina loss turned TCU into tallest team in the country