South Carolina vs. College of Charleston: Five Storylines to Watch
South Carolina begins its 2026–27 women’s basketball season Sunday with an exhibition against College of Charleston, giving Dawn Staley and her team an early opportunity to evaluate a roster that has undergone significant changes. While the result will have little meaning, several important questions will begin to take shape.
1. The point guard battle takes center stage
Perhaps the most intriguing storyline is how South Carolina handles the point guard position following the departure of Raven Johnson, who started at the position for nearly four seasons. The Gamecocks also lost Maddy McDaniel, who had been viewed as a potential option to help fill that void.
Rather than naming one replacement, Staley has indicated that the position will likely be handled collectively.
“Point guard by committee this season.”
That approach could give Tessa Johnson, Agot Makeer, Jerzy Robinson and Brooke Quarles Daniels opportunities to demonstrate their ability to organize the offense. Sunday should provide the first meaningful glimpse of how that rotation might work.
2. Health and player availability remain major questions
South Carolina’s other major storyline is the health of a roster that has endured several significant injuries. Six players have dealt with injuries over the past year, most notably ACL injuries suffered by Ashlyn Watkins and Chloe Kitts.
Other players affected include Adhel Tac, Alicia Tournebize, Kaeli Wynn and Kelsi Andrews. Watkins and Kitts have reportedly progressed to practicing without knee braces, while Kitts has said she feels “great.”
However, Staley wasn’t prepared to guarantee who would play in the exhibition.
“I won’t even know until closer to game time who they want to play, who they don’t want to play. So we’ll see. I know they all are going to want to play.”
That uncertainty makes Sunday’s lineup particularly interesting.
3. Expectations should remain realistic
This exhibition comes extremely early in the preparation process. Preseason practice began only six days before the game, meaning South Carolina is nowhere near a finished product.
Staley emphasized that fans should focus more on effort and energy than execution at this stage.
“It’s really early. I think you have to see some energy, some effort. There will be turnovers. There’ll be ill-advised shots… We’re just looking forward to seeing where we are.”
The exhibition will nevertheless provide a welcome change from repeatedly facing the scout team in practice. As Staley joked, her players probably want to play someone other than the “Highlighters.”
4. A highly regarded freshman class gets its first opportunity
The exhibition should also introduce fans to a talented incoming freshman class, including five-star prospects Oliviyah Edwards and Jerzy Robinson.
With some veterans potentially receiving limited minutes, younger players could have opportunities to make an early impression. Still, one exhibition should not be treated as a definitive evaluation of any freshman. Even so, the excitement surrounding a new recruiting class means performances will inevitably receive plenty of attention.
5. The unusual outdoor setting creates another variable
The game will be played on a temporary basketball court at a tennis stadium, creating an unusual environment for an early-season exhibition. Similar outdoor basketball events have taken place before, including NBA games at Indian Wells and a WNBA game at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The biggest concern, however, is court safety and weather. Condensation has previously caused outdoor basketball and volleyball events to be suspended or canceled.
Staley acknowledged that concern while emphasizing the priority:
“We are real concerned about the court conditions. But we’ve got two games before ours to make a good decision… The bottom line is player safety.”
Fortunately, the projected Sunday conditions are favorable, with sunny skies, temperatures in the 70s and low 80s, low humidity and light wind. That should reduce—but not completely eliminate—the possibility of weather affecting the game.
Overall, the exhibition is less about the final score and more about discovering who can handle the point guard duties, which players are healthy enough to contribute, and how the new-look Gamecocks begin to come together.
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