Inside the success of MiLaysia Fulwiley, South Carolina women's basketball freshman sensation
ALBANY, N.Y. — In her freshman season with South Carolina women’s basketball, MiLaysia Fulwiley has become a must-watch spectacle whenever she touches the ball.
There’s always a chance Fulwiley pulls off a behind-the-back move or drills a corner 3-pointer. She has a deep bag of tricks, one she’s ready to dip into at all times.
Confidence was never the issue for the 5-foot-10 Fulwiley, but playing basketball in the city she grew up in makes home games even easier.
“I feel like I’m the most confident person on the court every time I step on the court,” Fulwiley said.
Fulwiley said she’s glad she stayed home in Columbia, playing college basketball in the same town she won four high school state titles while playing at Keenan. When Fulwiley looks around Colonial Life Arena, she sees her family.
She also sees 18,000 fans, ready to cheer when something special takes place.
“It feels great to have a little space to showboat and make those passes to my teammates,” Fulwiley said. “This is an electrified gym. I know this crowd is crazy and I know what they want to see. I have it in my bag, I might as well pull it out.”
The stage gets bigger for Fulwiley in her first Sweet 16, when the No. 1-seeded Gamecocks (34-0) take on No. 4 Indiana (26-5) on Friday (5 p.m., ESPN) at MVP Arena.
Why MiLaysia Fulwiley always takes to the court with confidence
Fulwiley’s confidence shouldn’t be confused with cockiness. It never comes off as brash.
She’s always ready to shoot. If a defender doesn’t have a hand in her face, she says that’s a good time to pull up. Against Tennessee in the SEC Tournament semifinal, Fulwiley said she could have made a running half-court shot at the buzzer, but was fouled before she could attempt it.
Her confidence also stems from the team she has around her. Thirty-four games into her college career, Fulwiley still hasn’t lost, and when she misses a shot, she knows Kamilla Cardoso or Ashlyn Watkins are there for a rebound.
Fulwiley doesn’t hesitate to flaunt her style on the court. Whether it’s behind-the-back passes or up-and-under layups, she hasn’t been afraid to perform moves most other players wouldn’t dare try. It's garnered her national attention. After winning the SEC Tournament MVP, Fulwiley became the first collegiate athlete to sign with both Under Armour’s Curry Brand and Red Bull.
“I just love the confidence she plays with, the swagger she plays with,” senior guard Te-Hina Paopao said. “She just likes to go out there and hoop. Her confidence is really high, and she knows she provides a lot for us.”
In only five postseason games, Fulwiley has already brought her swagger to the national level. She put up a career-high 24 points against LSU in the SEC Tournament championship game to earn MVP and is averaging 18.5 points in two NCAA Tournament outings.
MiLaysia Fulwiley shows off defensive growth
In the second round of the NCAA Tournament against UNC, Fulwiley showed how far she’s come since November, when coach Dawn Staley yanked her after three minutes in the first matchup with the Tar Heels because her defense wasn’t up to South Carolina’s standards.
Fulwiley called it her “welcome to college basketball” moment.
She had already seen college success, going viral in her first career game against Notre Dame in Paris for a ridiculous behind the back layup. That was closer to what Fulwiley was used to. Game-changing plays, eye-popping moves, scoring almost at will. Her offense has been there from the start – the freshman is second on the team in scoring with 12.2 points per game.
But UNC reminded her what level she was playing at.
“It was a moment in her young college career in which there hasn't been another moment like that,” Staley said. “So it was a defining moment. It was a moment in which some growth took place because she's so used to playing, she's so used to participating.”
Fulwiley was determined to show her improvement in the second matchup with the Tar Heels. She checked in with 4:46 remaining in the first quarter to defend star guard Deja Kelly. Five seconds later, she poked the ball loose and took it for a fast break layup.
A few minutes later, Fulwiley rejected a shot attempt from Kelly and pushed down the court again. After her attempt at a behind-the-back layup when awry, she found the corner, drilled a 3-pointer and soaked in the reaction from the crowd in her home city.
“I realized you can’t just go on the court and try to hoop,” Fulwiley said. “It’s not that easy on the college level. You got to do all the little things.”
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Staley said Fulwiley’s off-ball defense still needs improvements, but on the ball, she’s gotten really good. Her development on the defensive side of the ball isn’t a coincidence – her teammates said she’s put in the time, effort and work into picking up the skills.
“It’s just her brain,” junior guard Bree Hall said. “She’s just been growing and getting a better understanding. She’s asking questions when need be, asking me what she should do on ball screens. She’s been very determined to improve her defensive weaknesses.”
It’ll only get better under Staley. After all, Fulwiley is just getting started.
“This is just the beginning for her,” sophomore guard Raven Johnson said. “She’s just a freshman, so I’m excited to see what next year brings for her.”
Evan Gerike covers South Carolina women's basketball for the Greenville News. Email him at egerike@citizentimes.com or follow him on Twitter @EvanGerike.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: South Carolina: MiLaysia Fulwiley a must-watch freshman at Sweet 16
