South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley met with local media after the Gamecocks’ dominant 95–55 win over Penn State, offering insight into the game plan, standout performances, and her injury-depleted roster. Here’s a rewritten look at everything she shared, with her words preserved.
Limiting Gracie Merkle without Madina Okot
Knowing ahead of time that Madina Okot would be unavailable, Staley detailed the defensive emphasis against Penn State star Gracie Merkle.
“I mean, we wanted to just make sure that she didn’t get any direct passes in her direction,” Staley explained. “And in order for you to do that, you always have to have your feet higher than hers, you always have to be in front when you are one pass away. Feet above, two passes away. And then when the ball goes in the air, we don’t just go for the ball, we actually just maintain contact with her and crowding her space.”
She credited Maryam Dauda and Ahdel Tac for executing the plan at a high level.
“So I think Maryam [Dauda] and Ahdel [Tac] didn’t perfect that until today.”
Joyce Edwards’ All-Around Dominance
Joyce Edwards posted multiple career highs, and Staley made it clear that her impact transcends who is — or isn’t — on the floor.
“You know, Joyce is gonna play that way with Madina, without Madina, with anybody,” Staley said. “If it’s a game with a ball that’s being played, she’s gonna play to the best of her ability.”
Staley praised Edwards’ complete stat line, even while acknowledging room for growth.
“She’s just playing really loose and just finding a way to impact the game through an entire stat line. Do we want the rebounding to be a little bit better? Yes, we do. But the other stuff, the five assists and no turnovers, you know, the six steals, four blocks — like, you know, that is who she is.”
She added that Edwards’ evolution is intentional.
“We are working with her to just kind of be more than a scorer, because she is one thing that can pretty much fill a stat sheet.”
Bench Growth Heading Toward SEC Play
Asked about offensive production from the bench, Staley focused on steady progress rather than comfort.
“Just improving. We want to just improve,” she said. “What that looks like for us is taking good shots.”
Comfort, she noted, isn’t necessarily the goal.
“They don’t have to be comfortable. When you’re comfortable, you probably lend yourself to doing stuff that you’re not supposed to do.”
Staley highlighted individual growth as well.
“I think Maddy [McDaniel is] starting to get back into the swing of things. Ayla [McDowell] is holding her. I think we can get a little bit more out of Ahdel and Maryam.”
She also viewed Okot’s absence as an opportunity.
“I think it’s good that Madina didn’t play, you know, and they can build some confidence. Definitely defensively.”
Protecting the Ball and Forcing Turnovers
South Carolina’s 26–5 turnover advantage stood out, and Staley liked what she saw.
“I like the fact that we took care of the ball and we had great ball movement at times, like really good ball movement,” she said.
The assist numbers told the story.
“We moved the ball; we had 20 assists on 37 field goals. I mean, we’re moving in the right direction. So I like the fact that we have single-digit turnovers.”
Finding Positives Amid Injuries
With injuries and illnesses continuing to test her roster, Staley emphasized mindset.
“I think the positive is mentally they’re going to the games, that they’re gonna play a whole lot of minutes,” she said. “They haven’t conserved defensively. They surely aren’t going to conserve offensively.”
Her message to the team remains consistent.
“I want us to always feel like we got a chance, we got enough in the room to win, no matter what the stakes are.”
Injury Outlook for Okot and Agot Makeer
Staley reiterated that both Madina Okot and Agot Makeer are being handled cautiously.
“I mean this day to day,” she said. “We’re not going to force them to make things worse.”
She stressed that medical staff, not coaching urgency, dictates availability.
“I don’t have a say in it. I get a report every day… They do some things in practice, and they’re not there yet.”
Third-Quarter Transition Surge
South Carolina opened the second half with nine straight fast-break points, but Staley said it came naturally.
“I would say it was probably a product of our defense and rebounding,” she said. “We got rebounds and we pushed, and we saw people up the floor.”
Getting Ta’Niya Latson Going
Latson’s second-half scoring surge wasn’t accidental, according to Staley.
“I think Ta’Niya does best when she gets off to a good start,” she said. “I thought she got off to a good start because she got a lot of assists as well.”
Sometimes, that means creating opportunities.
“We may try to manufacture some touches to where she’s in a comfort zone… I don’t want her to get rattled.”
Free Throws: Mental More Than Physical
Finally, Staley addressed ongoing free-throw concerns.
“I will say we practice every day. Every single day,” she said. “It’s becoming a little mental now.”
Her hope is simplicity.
“I hope it turns to where it’s not even — it’s just routine at this point.”
