Dawn Staley Shares Update on Injured Guard Maddy McDaniel Ahead of Bowling Green Matchup
COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley offered an update on junior point guard Maddy McDaniel, who left Monday’s season opener against Grand Canyon with a knee injury.
McDaniel was spotted at practice this week, taking shots and doing light work on the sidelines, but she did not participate in full team drills. Staley said her status for Friday’s game against Bowling Green is uncertain.
“Maddy’s up and moving around,” Staley said. “I doubt (she’ll play). You’ve got to have some prep day.”
With McDaniel sidelined, Staley noted that the backup point guard duties will be shared among several players.
McDaniel logged eight minutes before exiting Monday’s 94–54 win. She contributed three points and two assists before colliding knees with a Grand Canyon player who was setting a screen. The impact left her on the court for several minutes before she was helped off by Staley and team trainer Craig Oates.
After the game, Staley did not have a firm update but reassured that McDaniel’s toughness was a positive sign.
“Maddy’s pretty tough, so I’m not too worried,” Staley said, joking that McDaniel wouldn’t practice Tuesday — before adding it was an off day anyway.
Last season, McDaniel averaged 3.1 points and 1.7 assists, emerging as one of the team’s pleasant surprises early on. At times, she even outperformed Raven Johnson, her fellow point guard and now the team’s senior floor general. However, a concussion sidelined McDaniel for three weeks after Christmas, and she struggled to regain her rhythm once SEC play began.
The injury comes at a tough time for a Gamecock roster already hit hard by injuries. Both Ashlyn Watkins and Chloe Kitts are out for the season after suffering ACL tears — Watkins in January and Kitts in October — leaving South Carolina with only 10 active players. With limited depth, Staley emphasized that every player’s health is vital.
The No. 2 Gamecocks will look to stay unbeaten as they host Bowling Green on Friday night, followed by an in-state rivalry clash against Clemson on Nov. 11. After that, South Carolina heads west for a neutral-site matchup with Southern Cal in Los Angeles on Nov. 15.
