Why Alicia Tournebize South Carolina debut vs Georgia would make sense for Dawn Staley

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COLUMBIA — Chloe Kitts set the bar somewhat high.

She graduated high school early then joined South Carolina women's basketball in December 2022, playing in her first game after just three full practices.

Alicia Tournebize, coach Dawn Staley's new 6-foot-7 player from France, might do something similar.

Tournebize played professional basketball in France until late December, then came to Columbia on Jan. 1. Once paperwork was squared away, she started practicing but didn't play on Jan. 8 in the 93-58 road win vs Arkansas.

Though no SEC game is guaranteed to be the perfect chance to play her first college minutes, South Carolina's next game against Georgia might be the best place to start.

The No. 3 Gamecocks (16-1, 3-0 SEC) host the Bulldogs (12-5, 1-2) on Jan. 11 (2 p.m. ET, SEC Network) before hosting No. 2 Texas on Jan. 15.

They have one rare non-conference away game against Coppin State on Jan. 18 then play No. 5 Oklahoma and No. 6 Vanderbilt. It's no knock to Georgia that it would be a great chance for Tournebize to get comfortable. It's likely the last unranked home game until Feb. 5.

If Staley decides that a road environment is a fine starting point, then she might wait to see the floor against Coppin State since it's hard to imagine her first minutes come against Texas.

Staley said Jan. 7 that she "doesn't want to just throw her out there (because it's) unfair to her to do that, but at some point, hopefully soon we get her out there in a game."

During media availability on Jan. 9, Staley was asked in a two-part question if she thinks Tournebize will play against Georgia but she didn't answer the Tournebize part of the question.

Why Alicia Tournebize can help South Carolina vs Texas

South Carolina lost to Texas 66-64 in Las Vegas on Nov. 27. Staley has 10 players who can beat the Longhorns in a rematch without playing Tournebize. But Texas coach Vic Schaefer only played seven players and didn't have Aaliyah Crump, who is averaging 13.2 points per game.

Tournebize shouldn't be pressured with any type of X-factor responsibility if she plays Texas, but her natural abilities give South Carolina some advantages.

She can dunk so she's a threat at the rim but can also spread out an offense with her shooting abilities, giving Joyce Edwards and Madina Okot more space to work inside.

In addition, in the same way Staley has to alter her scout to add in Crump for the rematch, Schaefer would have to prepare for Tournebize, who would have minimal SEC tape to work off of.

Staley's two reserve forwards haven't given her more than 3.4 points per game and teams might try to get Okot and Edwards in foul trouble knowing they dominate paint production.

Maryam Dauda and Adhel Tac have shown flashes of promise but haven't scored more than six points in SEC play. Tac fouled out off the bench against Arkansas in only 15 minutes.

There's no guarantee Tournebize is "better" off the bench but it's still an extra body, a new layer to the offense that might allow Staley give Edwards and Okot more of a rest.

Everything is totally new for Tournebize in some ways, but she also just played for Tango Bourges Basket, a professional club, which means unlike Kitts, she isn't just starting from high school basketball.

Staley says she doesn't treat freshman like freshman and likes to blend them in with older players so Tournebize might experience something similar.

Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at LKesin@usatodayco.com. Follow her on X@Lulukesin and Bluesky‪@bylulukesin.bsky.social‬

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Alicia Tournebize South Carolina debut vs Georgia would make sense

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