Kaylor Buse Sets Commitment Date — And It Doesn’t Bode Well for South Carolina / sportsearchers.com

Point guard target Kaylor Buse has announced when she’ll make her college decision, and the timing creates a real complication for South Carolina’s pursuit. Buse will reveal her commitment live on KATU television on Monday, September 14, at 11:30 p.m. EDT, choosing between five finalists: Washington, Oregon, Utah, TCU, and South Carolina.

A Scheduling Problem for the Gamecocks

The issue centers on timing. Buse has already completed official visits to Washington and TCU, with a trip to Utah scheduled this weekend and Oregon set for September 18. South Carolina, by contrast, wasn’t slated to host her until the weekend of October 3 — a date that would also coincide with South Carolina’s football game against Kentucky and a visit from post prospect Zaniya Johnson.

That scheduling gap now looks costly. Because Buse plans to announce her decision on September 14, well before her planned South Carolina visit in October, it now appears unlikely she’ll end up a Gamecock — she’ll be committing to a program before ever stepping foot on South Carolina’s campus.

Staley’s Recruiting Strategy Backfires Here

South Carolina’s approach reflects a well-documented tendency under Dawn Staley to secure the final visit in a recruit’s process — a strategy that’s worked before, but appears mistimed in this instance. Notably, South Carolina was also the last program to begin recruiting Buse among her five finalists, something Buse herself said wasn’t necessarily a disadvantage when she spoke with On3’s Talia Goodman. But with her commitment date now set well ahead of her scheduled visit, that late start may end up costing the Gamecocks a real chance.

Buse’s Profile and Production

The 5-foot-9 point guard out of West Linn High School in Oregon has built an impressive résumé, leading her team to its first-ever Oregon state championship while also guiding her travel program, Northwest Select, to the circuit semifinals. She earned first-team all-state honors as both a sophomore and junior, and was named league Defensive Player of the Year in three consecutive seasons (freshman through junior year). Last season, she averaged 15.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 2.6 steals, while also contributing 1.3 blocks per game — an unusually high number for a guard her size.

Buse’s recruiting stock has trended upward recently. She was ranked 77th nationally by ESPN at the time South Carolina extended its offer, and has since climbed to 52nd in ESPN’s latest rankings. She remains unranked by Rivals and On3.