South Carolina’s Cardoso back with No. 1 Gamecocks, expected to start at Tennessee

South Carolina center Kamilla Cardoso, center left, drives to the basket past Mississippi forward Tyia Singleton (22) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024, in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/Artie Walker Jr.

(AP) — South Carolina leading scorer and rebounder Kamilla Cardoso is back with the top-ranked Gamecocks and is expected to be in the starting lineup at Tennessee on Thursday night.

Cardoso, a 6-foot-7 senior, missed a pair of games last week while playing for the Brazilian national team in a qualifying tournament for the Paris Olympics.

Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley said Cardoso looked good in practice this week and would start against the Lady Vols.

South Carolina is 23-0 overall and 10-0 in the Southeastern Conference.

Cardoso’s absence did not slow down the Gamecocks, who defeated Missouri 83-45 last Thursday night and No. 15 UConn 83-65 on Sunday.

Forward Ashlyn Watkins, a 6-3 sophomore who has started four games this season, including both games where Cardoso was gone, combined for 26 points, 16 rebounds and six blocks in the two wins last week.

Chloe Kitts, a 6-2 sophomore who’s made 21 starts this season, finished with 26 points, 12 rebounds and six blocks in the wins over Missouri and UConn.

Cardoso has used her size to dominate down low this season as she contends for SEC player of the year.

Staley said Cardoso was in good spirits, although disappointed that Brazil went 0-3 in the qualifying tournament to miss the Paris Games.