South Carolina freshman Agot Makeer has entered concussion protocol and will not travel for Thursday’s ACC/SEC Challenge matchup against Louisville.
Head coach Dawn Staley chose not to share additional information about Makeer’s condition, including when the freshman officially entered the protocol. Makeer was absent from Wednesday’s practice, and Staley noted that it is common for players dealing with concussions to be held out of air travel.
Before the setback, Makeer was off to a strong start to her college career. Over her first six appearances, she averaged 7.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.3 assists, shooting 47.1% from the field while logging 18.7 minutes per game. She had also settled into her role as one of the primary sparks off the bench.
During South Carolina’s trip to Las Vegas, however, her impact dipped. Makeer posted 2.0 points and 3.0 rebounds, shooting just 2-for-7 across both games. She played 16 minutes against Duke — her lowest total since she briefly left the Bowling Green matchup with a minor injury — and then saw just three minutes of action against Texas, coming in early during the second quarter.
Makeer appeared to take a hit to the head while battling for a rebound against Texas. Although she stayed in the game and didn’t show immediate signs of injury, she spent the rest of the contest on the bench and was still cleared to fly home afterward.
Her reduced minutes contributed to South Carolina’s unusually quiet production from the reserves in that Texas game. The Gamecocks’ bench combined for just two points, seven rebounds, two assists, and two blocks, all coming from Maddy McDaniel or Adhel Tac.
