South Carolina’s Cooper in transfer portal with plans to go

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina guard Te’a Cooper intends to leave the program.

Team spokeswoman Diana Koval said Wednesday that Cooper’s name is in the NCAA’s transfer portal. Cooper, the team’s leading scorer, becomes the fourth player from this year’s team this week saying they want to transfer. Forwards Mikiah Herbert Harrigan and LaDazhia Williams and guard Bianca Jackson had previously announced their intentions to go.

Koval said Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley was holding individual season-ending meetings with the players this week and did not want to comment on Cooper’s move.

South Carolina has the country’s No. 1 incoming freshman class next fall with four of the top 13 players in the nation, according to ESPN’s recruiting rankings.

Cooper, a 5-foot-8 junior from Powder Springs, Georgia, had transferred to South Carolina after two seasons at Tennessee. She sat out the 2017-18 season before returning to the court for the Gamecocks. She started 28 games this fall, averaging 11.9 points and was second on the team with 66 assists for South Carolina (23-10).