NCAAW: Khamil Pierre, DeYona Gatson headline SEC under-the-radar stars

SEC play has tipped off, with Thursday, Jan. 2 serving as the launch date for what promises to be a competitive chase for the conference crowns.

South Carolina, LSU, Texas and Oklahoma, all ranked in the top 10 nationally, project to battle for the hardware. On opening night, the No. 2-ranked Gamecocks and No. 6-ranked Tigers both cruised to victories of more than 30 points, while the No. 5-ranked Longhorns persevered to take down the No. 9-ranked Sooners in the first SEC version of their Red River rivalry.

However, the conference is flush with talented players, and number of whom that, based on their performances in non-conference action, could prove capable of captaining their teams to upset wins over conference favorites. Keep an eye on these under-the-radar SEC stars during conference play:

Khamil Pierre (Vanderbilt)

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Women’s college basketball’s analytics darling can be found in Nashville.

Sophomore forward Khamil Pierre puts up the kind of all-round, efficient performances that lead to eye-popping all-in-one metrics—and wins. She leads the nation in player efficiency rating (49.2), wins shares per 40 minutes (.509) and defensive rating (61.0). In the SEC, she’s also tops in box/plus minus (19.9). In short, her 23.1 points and 10.9 rebounds aren’t just good numbers, they are impactful numbers that have contributed to the Commodores’ 14-1 start to the season.

As Vandy routed Georgia in their conference opener, pouring in 108 points, Pierre posted 28 points and eight rebounds, and impressive output that was topped by the second half of the Commodores’ dynamic duo, freshman guard Mikayla Blakes. Her 36 points broke the program’s record for points scored by a freshman in a single game.

Tougher opponents await, and they’re sure to test Pierre’s ability to maintain her efficiency and effectiveness. But if she produces elite impact against Kentucky’s towering frontcourt (Jan. 5), Ole Miss’ grit (Jan. 9) and a stacked LSU squad (Jan. 13), she’ll be certified as an on-the-radar star. And Vandy will own an upset win or two.

DeYona Gaston (Auburn)

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On Jan. 16, when Texas invades the Plains of Auburn, expect grad forward DeYona Gatson to be prepared to give her former team a rude welcome.

Although less heralded than other transfers, Gatson has been one of the nation’s most effective—and most improved—newcomers, emerging as a near-double-double force for the Tigers. Already, she’s put up numbers that only Auburn legend DeWanna Bonner previously had sniffed, headlined by 35-point and 36-point games. Having averaged 10.4 points and 5.1 rebounds across her four season at Texas, she’s jumped to 23.2 points and 8.8 rebounds per game, all while shooting slightly more efficiently from the field. She’s also getting to the line almost seven times per game, an indication of her development into an offensive fulcrum.

All that was on display as Auburn took on Ole Miss in their SEC opener. Unfortunately, Gatson’s 30 points, which included 14 points from the foul line, was not enough for the Tigers, as a hot shooting night from the Rebels powered Ole Miss to a comfortable win.

The disappointing result, however, does not doom Gatson and the Tigers, who now sport a 9-5 record. Fellow transfer Taliah Scott (Arkansas) remains out with an injury, depriving Auburn of a second high-level scorer. When the sophomore guard returns, the Tigers should have the juice needed to improve upon last season’s seventh-place conference finish.

Samara Spencer (Tennessee)

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Can a player who set a program record—and not any program record but a Tennessee program record—for made 3-pointers in a single game be considered under-the-radar? Samara Spencer certainly tests that proposition.

The senior guard, who is in her first season on Rocky Top after three seasons at Arkansas, has proven a perfect fit for new head coach Kim Caldwell’s high-powered offense. Not only is Spencer is shooting nearly 47 percent from behind the arc on more than five triples per game, but she also keeps the ball moving, averaging a career-best and team-high 5.6 assists per game. In Thursday’s SEC opener, when Tennessee took care of business against Texas A&M, Spencer occupied that facilitator role, tossing a game-high eight assists while scoring six points and grabbing five boards.

However, it is her 3-point shooting, with the potential for another onslaught like the 33-point one she unleashed on NC Central, that should scare SEC opponents. Her ability to ignite on any night not only can help the Lady Vols preserve their perfect mark, currently at 13-0, but also could result in Tennessee taking down one of the SEC’s titans. Sooner than later, Spencer will have opportunities to terrorize top opponents with triples, as Tennessee hosts Oklahoma (Jan. 5) and LSU (Jan. 9).

Liv McGill (Florida)

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Following Paige Bueckers at Minnesota’s Hopkins High School is no small feat. But Liv McGill did just that. So, don’t expect the freshman guard to be deterred by a rookie season in Gainesville that has featured some rocky moments for a 9-6 Florida team.

One such moment came on Thursday. The Gators began SEC play against the No. 19-ranked Crimson Tide, with a slow start ultimately sinking youthful Florida against veteran Alabama.

But McGill, who led the Gators with 18 points on Thursday, is gaining experience through growing pains, showing the kind of flashes that suggest, while she may not emerge as a star this season, such a turn into the SEC spotlight is in her future. Through non-conference play, she led Florida in points (16.1), assists (5.3) and steals (1.9), while averaging a team-high 29.8 minutes per game. Although her shooting percentages have regressed after a relatively solid start, she doesn’t hesitate to take shots, willingly accepting her role as the engine of Florida’s offense. Yet, as her assisting numbers indicate, she’s not just an undisciplined gunner, but a developing steward of the Gator offense.

The ingredients are there for at least one explosive McGill game, when the freshman finds a groove and the Gators threaten to knock of a superior SEC squad.

Izzy Higginbottom (Arkansas)

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The transfer portal mostly has flowed the wrong direction at Arkansas, with too many players with potential leaving Fayetteville (such as the above mentioned Samara Spencer and Taliah Scott) and not enough arriving. Senior guard Izzy Higginbottom, however, is the exception.

After a mostly quiet freshman year at Missouri, Higginbottom transferred to Arkansas State, blossoming into an offensive dynamo for the Red Wolves. And since returning to the SEC and her home state’s flagship school, she has maintained her high-scoring ways. After leading the Sun Belt in scoring last season with 22.2 points per game, she’s doing the same in the SEC, averaging 23.8 per contest, which is the fourth-best mark in the nation. Her scoring package gives off old-school vibes, with a strong preference for the midrange. Although only 5-foot-7, she shoots better than 50 percent on 2-point attempts.

Arkansas likely won’t win many conference games this season. In Thursday’s SEC opener, they were thrashed by LSU, sending their record to 7-9. But Higginbottom did her thing, scoring a game-high 27 points. Even as the Ls accumulate for Arkansas, expect Higginbottom to frustrate more than a few more talented opponents.