Her postgame press conference wasn’t just a recap — it was a revealing look into why South Carolina controlled the night, from Joyce Edwards’ explosive rhythm to Madina Okot’s mental reset and the steady leadership anchoring the backcourt.
Here’s a deeper analysis of what powered the Gamecocks — in Staley’s own words.
Joyce Edwards: Controlled Chaos, Maximum Impact
Joyce Edwards’ 23 points and 12 rebounds weren’t just numbers — they were the result of pace, preparation, and precision. Staley described her sophomore star in vivid terms:
“Joyce shoots herself out of a cannon all the time,” Staley said. “I think she plays fairly quickly. I think her athleticism and her quickness really gives her an advantage to shoot the ball, to drive past people, or when she’s posting up. I thought we did a great job of finding her, especially when she had two feet in the paint and a guard on her. She won the matchup when there was somewhat of a mismatch.”
The key wasn’t just Edwards’ athleticism — it was decision-making. South Carolina identified mismatches early, fed her in advantageous spots, and trusted her to finish.
When asked about her history of strong performances against Alabama, Staley shifted the focus away from opponent-specific dominance and toward consistency.
“I wasn’t really connecting the times that she played Alabama because Joyce does a good job most of the time that she steps on the floor,” she said. “I think the floor opens up for her for some reason. They do some switching, they play some zone. I think Joyce does a lot of studying film, and she sees the gaps in what are presented to her, and she takes what the defense gives her.”
That comment reveals something deeper — Edwards isn’t freelancing. She’s reading coverage, understanding defensive structure, and exploiting gaps with discipline.
Still, Staley pointed to an area that could elevate the team even further:
“I liked her aggressiveness tonight rebounding the basketball. She needs to take that and be more consistent rebounding the ball because we’re a different basketball team when she brings that element to the game.”
Translation: when Edwards rebounds at a high level, South Carolina becomes even more dangerous in transition and second-chance scoring.
Madina Okot: A Mental Breakthrough Changes Everything
Madina Okot’s double-double by halftime was less about scheme and more about mindset. Staley made that clear.
“I just think mentally she’s in a much better space,” Staley explained. “All players go through a time during the season when it’s just mentally draining. It’s physically draining, but when it’s mental, it impacts the physical part of it. I thought she hit her stretch a couple of games ago where nothing seemed to go right for her.”
Rather than overhaul everything, the staff made subtle adjustments:
“I thought we did some adjustments in our offense to give her some more direction as to where to be. It’s kind of working out for her.”
Structure bred confidence. Confidence bred aggression.
Staley also highlighted the behind-the-scenes leadership of Raven Johnson, who plays a dual role as point guard and roommate:
“I think Raven’s done a great job — with every step of the way, Raven’s there for her. Her point guard is there for her. Her roommate is there for her. She fought to help her get out of it, and now I think it’s just clearer. She’s just playing more aggressive basketball, and that benefits us, obviously.”
That kind of chemistry matters in March.
As for Okot stepping out and hitting two three-pointers? That wasn’t a surprise inside the program.
“We practice them. She practices them all the time. There’s no need to just practice them if there are opportunities for her to step out and shoot them. I feel very confident that she can knock them down. She feels confident that she can knock them down.”
Staley even revealed a strategic nuance in how they’re using the 6-foot-5 center:
“Believe it or not, I do think Madina’s comfort level is facing the basket. We are making her get two feet in the paint and bury people, and probably her most comfortable place on the floor is probably facing up. We want her to shoot more, whether they are threes or 15-footers — just facing up where she doesn’t have to make every score a hard one.”
That evolution makes South Carolina’s frontcourt even more versatile — and much harder to scout.
Alabama Earns Respect — And So Does the SEC
Even after a 25th straight win over Alabama, Staley refused to minimize the challenge.
“Hard guard. They were a hard guard in January; they were a hard guard today,” she said. “They run their sets with efficiency. I thought they turned the ball over a little more than they usually do, but hard guard. They’ve got players 1-5, and they’ve got a little bit of depth coming off the bench that gives them a shot at winning every time they step on the floor.”
That respect feeds into a broader point about life in the SEC:
“Once we all get out of the SEC and on to the NCAA Tournament, you’re going to see the effects of playing in our league in the tournament. It’s just tough in our league, night in and night out.”
In other words, these February battles are March preparation.
No Timeouts. No Panic. Just Trust.
One subtle but telling decision: Staley let her team play through Alabama’s runs.
“All teams are going to go on runs. It depends on the type of run. Is there a breakdown that we need to call a timeout and correct? Are we getting good shots but not making them? There are all different types of runs that cause teams to go on,” she said. “I just wanted our players to fight through. I’m usually not one that calls timeouts on a run, depending on what’s happening out there.”
That decision stemmed from trust — particularly in her backcourt leadership.
“We’ve got a seasoned point guard. We’ve got a seasoned backup point guard that really knows the pulse of our team. If they get rattled, then we probably need to call a timeout — but they didn’t seem rattled. We righted the ship.”
That composure is a championship trait.
Maddy McDaniel: The Missing Piece Returns
The return of Maddy McDaniel may have been the quietest but most important development of the night.
“Maddy’s playing great. Maddy is just solid. She’s very predictable. She’s playing both sides of the basketball. She’s playing very confidently,” Staley said. “In the games that she’s been out, we’ve missed her. I didn’t want to play her as many minutes as I did play her, but she was just playing so well and so comfortable. She looked like she missed playing basketball, so I played her a little bit longer than I anticipated, and she was playing extremely well.”
Then came the bottom line:
“We need Maddy. Maddy makes us a better basketball team.”
The Bigger Picture
This wasn’t just a 19-point road win. It was a showcase of:
- A star who understands tempo and mismatches.
- A center rediscovering confidence.
- Veteran guards controlling the emotional temperature.
- A coach willing to trust her group through adversity.
For South Carolina, the message from Staley was clear: the ceiling rises when the details — mental sharpness, rebounding consistency, and composure — come together.
And on this night in Tuscaloosa, they did.
