Lady Vols basketball with Kim Caldwell back vs South Carolina: Prediction, picks, injury updates

Lady Vols basketball is back at home after two road games to host the reigning national champion.

No. 17 Tennessee (15-4, 3-4 SEC) faces No. 2 South Carolina (19-1, 7-0) at Food City Center on Monday (7 p.m. ET, ESPN2). The Lady Vols are coming off a four-point road loss to Texas, and the Gamecocks beat LSU on Friday.

Here’s what you need to know about the matchup.

Kim Caldwell plans to coach after giving birth to son

Lady Vols coach Kim Caldwell did not travel to Austin, Texas, after giving birth to her first child, a baby boy, on Monday. But Caldwell said Sunday she plans to return to the sidelines and coach against South Carolina.

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The first-year Tennessee coach met with the media Sunday, six days after giving birth. She was back in practice Friday. Caldwell and her son, Conor Scott, are doing well.

“It was good,” Caldwell said of returning to practice. “It’s hard to leave your little one, but then you missed your team, and you kind of feel like you were just not there for them. And so to be back and to be around them and to just be back in your routine was good.”

South Carolina dominant after lone loss

The Gamecocks have been on a tear since they lost to UCLA in nonconference play.

Their closest game since then was their 10-point win against No. 4 LSU on Friday. They have won by an average of 26.4 points in SEC play with two 41-point wins, the second against then-No. 13 Oklahoma.

South Carolina’s defense is as strong as ever. It had 13 steals, 11 blocks and scored 22 points off turnovers against LSU. It’s holding SEC teams to 56.1 points per game and 32.7% shooting. Both marks rank No. 1 in the conference.

Talaysia Cooper facing former team

Talaysia Cooper started her career at South Carolina but transferred after her freshman season after only averaging 8.4 minutes. She transferred outside the window for immediate eligibility and had to sit out last season at Tennessee.

Cooper leads the Lady Vols with 17.8 points per game and also averages 5.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 3.3 steals. South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said Sunday that Cooper is a great player.

“I’m happy for Coop, I’m really happy that she’s found her happy place,” Staley said. “She can do it all. She can defend, she can score at three levels, she can play multiple positions. And I think the style of play fits perfectly for her.”

South Carolina is as deep as ever

South Carolina’s depth is what continues to separate it from the pack – its two leading scorers come off the bench. Freshman forward Joyce Edwards and sophomore guard MiLaysia Fulwiley lead the way for the Gamecocks, averaging 12.2 and 11.1 points, respectively. Caldwell called Fulwiley an “incredible” player who can score any way she wants.

“When she’s in the game, they’re special,” Caldwell said. “I mean, they’re special at all times, but she really is a tough matchup for us, seeing who can guard her.”

The Gamecocks have a number of players who can go off at any given time. They can rely on guards Te-Hina Paopao and Tessa Johnson to score consistently and they get solid production from forwards Chloe Kitts and Sania Feagin.

“You can’t fall asleep on defense,” Caldwell said. “And even if you do, even if you are locked in, they’re probably still going to hit tough shots, and you just got to be ready to weather that storm.”