COLUMBIA — South Carolina women's basketball senior center Kamilla Cardoso will rest Thursday and not play against Alabama, the team announced on social media before the game.

Cardoso has started 22 of the 23 games she has played this season. She has missed two games, including against then-No. 9 UConn, while playing with Team Brazil in an Olympic qualifying event.

In two games after returning from Team Brazil, Cardoso averaged 17 points and 13 rebounds and was named the Naismith Women’s College Player of the Week.

Cardoso is leading the Gamecocks with 14.1 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. Her 66 blocks are second-most on the team, one behind sophomore forward Ashlyn Watkins.

Watkins is expected to start in Cardoso's place for South Carolina (25-0, 12-0 SEC) against Alabama (20-7, 7-5).

A win Thursday would clinch a share of the SEC championship and the No. 1 seed in the SEC Tournament, with three games to go in the regular season. It also would be coach Dawn Staley's 600th career victory.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Kamilla Cardoso injury: South Carolina star sits out Alabama game