South Carolina starters:
Tiffany Mitchell — The reigning Southeastern Conference player of the year leads the Gamecocks
in many offensive categories yet again this season. She's hitting over half of her shots this year, going 103-of-219 from the field this season.
Elem Ibiam — South Carolina’s inside presence begins and ends with its bigs. Ibiam is a strong force in the post who can lay the ball in on offense and also block shots on defense. With 153 blocks during her time as a Gamecock, Ibiam trails only Lakesha Tolliver (177) for the school record in career blocks.
Khadijah Sessions — As a junior running the point, there’s no question that Sessions is one of South Carolina’s seasoned leaders. Head coach Dawn Staley has called Sessions the team’s “vocal leader,” which the Gamecocks will need on the road in a hostile environment Monday.
Aleighsa Welch — All Welch does for the Gamecocks is score. That much is evidenced by her 57.4 percent field goal percentage, the second highest on the team. Welch has over 1,300 points and 800 rebounds in her career.
Asia Dozier— Although she barely averages four points per game, Dozier represents the depth of South Carolina’s roster that is loaded with talent. She has hit 19 of 58 three-pointers this season, the fourth-highest percentage on the team.
Connecticut starters:
Breanna Stewart -—The 2014 AP Player of the Year is deadly in virtually every aspect of the game. She can shoot, block, rebound and pass. It will be nearly impossible to stop Stewart, but slowing her down will be a focus point for South Carolina.
Morgan Tuck — Out of anyone on Connecticut’s roster, Tuck favors South Carolina’s Ibiam. Tuck, a 6-foot-2 forward, brings a strong inside game and is not afraid to use her frame to back up defenders in the paint.
Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis — Don’t be fooled be her size. At 5-foot-11, the former five-star prospect and No. 1 recruit in the 2011 class is shooting over 50 percent (67-133) from beyond the arc and also pulls in an average of 4.55 boards per game.
Kia Nurse — Although she's only a freshman, Nurse has plenty of experience. She’s been playing for her native Canada’s women’s national team since she was 16 and surely will not be intimidated, even with No. 1 South Carolina coming to town.
Moriah Jefferson — Jefferson would have been the top recruit in the nation in 2012 if it wasn’t for teammate Breanna Stewart. As it turned out, Jefferson was the No. 2 recruit in the nation, but she made an immediate impact, starting in all 40 games at the point last season as a sophomore.