Dawn Staley’s 6’7 French Forward Alicia Tournebize finally arrived on the scene as they bruised past Coppin State to continue their unbeaten winning run. It was a regular assignment for South Carolina on Saturday, offering the French forward 13 minutes on the court after a minimal five against the Texas Longhorns.

The Gamecocks’ freshman concluded the game with eight points, an assist, a block, a rebound, and a steal each, earning Staley’s trust to deploy her regularly in the playing eleven ahead of the upcoming Oklahoma game.

“I like that she’s unafraid. She is willing to be out there,” Staley said before the Sooners game. “She is hopping up and wants to get to the basketball game. But I don’t know if we’re going to get the true test of what she is going to become in a short period of time.”

Tournebize has shown her mettle to some extent against Coppin State. Her shooting from the field looked quite decent, hitting 3 of 6 for 50%. And so were her first points for her team, showcasing a jump shot off a Raven Johnson assist. While she also rolled the ball twice, it won’t be much of a scrutiny, given these are her initial games. However, per Staley, the Gamecocks’ freshman shooting from distance can improve further, as she failed to score on her only attempt against Coppin State.

“I do think she really understands basketball, and I do think we probably get a little bit better with our high-low and our ability to shoot from that perimeter position, she said. “Practices are better as she’s getting acclimated to things. So we’ll see, and we’ll keep throwing her there. She’ll keep getting the opportunity to play.”

Although her initial coordination with her new teammates seemed a bit off, it should improve as they spend more time together in practice. Staley mentioned in her interview that the existing players on the roster are helping her with this situation. However, for the Charmeil native, she won’t have time to settle in, going forward with the business end of the season. The upcoming few games will be massive opportunities for the French forward, although head coach Staley has confirmed that she will offer substantial playing time.

Alicia Tournebize’s South Carolina Gamecocks are currently enjoying their formidable 5-0 conference record. However, the side is in line to face ranked teams in back-to-back games. While the Oklahoma Sooners are next, No. 5 Vanderbilt will follow on Sunday. And these games will be an excellent opportunity for Tournebize to make her case for a roster spot.

Why Alicia Tournebize Matters Against Oklahoma

As little as we have seen of Alicia Tournebize, she can be a massive threat on the opposing court. Combine that with her on-ball defense and court intelligence, and she can help out the team in multiple ways. Most probably, the French forward will come off the bench against the Sooners. And thus, she will have limited time to have her say and impact the game.

Notably, the Sooners have one of the most brilliant offenses in college basketball this season. The side is scoring 89.6 points per game, slightly more than the 88.6 the Gamecocks are averaging. Aaliyah Chavez and Raegan Beers are two of their most offensive players and have been in top-notch touch this season. Thus, if the Gamecocks’ defense can step up and cage Chavez and the Beers, aided by Tournebize’s added physicality, it can halt the Sooners’ offense.

However, Oklahoma is in search of a desperate win after dropping three consecutive games. However, coach Staley isn’t worried about it, as she considers playing the Sooners at home a “dangerous game” under any circumstance.

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Going against the Sooners, it is possible the game could be a high-scoring affair. While Joyce Edwards will lead the offense for the Sooners, it will be upon Ta’Niya Latson and Tournebize to complement her. Edwards has averaged over 20 points for Gamecocks this season, and Staley will bet on her to provide the offensive leverage. Moreover, Tournebize’s physicality in the forward position will give Edwards the edge and protection against being doubled near the rim.

Thus, it would be interesting to see how much game time Tournebize gets in the Sooners’ game. What are your expectations from Tournebize for the game? Do let us know.