On3
Dawn Staley didn’t mince words after South Carolina’s gritty 65-point victory over Georgia—the Gamecocks were simply “off,” and she knows it.
Despite securing the win, South Carolina’s head coach expressed clear frustration with her team’s offensive execution, particularly in a first half that looked nothing like the dominant squad that has steamrolled through opponents this season.
“I mean, I thought we just played sped up. We just took rough shots,” Staley explained post-game. “I don’t even think the defense was really impacting. And I thought we just were out of sync… Just off offensively, just off, and the field goal percentage shows it.”
Defense Saves the Day
With Texas looming on the horizon, South Carolina’s offensive struggles raised concerns. The Gamecocks managed just 65 points—a total Staley acknowledged won’t cut it against elite competition.
“You’re gonna have to put more than 65 points on the scoreboard to beat Texas,” Staley stated bluntly. “We’ve got to have a really solid game on both sides of the ball to beat Texas.”
The saving grace? South Carolina’s defensive intensity and versatility, particularly their effective 1-3-1 zone defense that gave Georgia fits all night.
“Well, it’s not ideal. It just kind of brought us back to the days in which, you know, my first couple of years here, we just had to win our defensive effort,” Staley reflected. “I like it, but I don’t like it. I like the mode of being able to put 80 points on the scoreboard.”
Latson Returns, Tournebize Waits
Ta’Niya Latson made her highly anticipated return after missing three games with an ankle injury, providing a much-needed boost despite the team’s shooting woes.
“It was great to have her back,” Staley said. “Ta’Niya has been working her butt off just in rehab.”
However, fans hoping to see French phenom Alicia Tournebize’s debut will have to wait longer. Staley revealed that orientation requirements and missed practice time are delaying her introduction.
“More practice time. She’s been having to do orientations and all of that. So she’s missed some practice time,” Staley explained.
Bench Gaining Momentum
One bright spot? The development of South Carolina’s bench, which is finally showing the impact Staley has been demanding.
“Very nicely. It’s starting to come together for them,” Staley said. “They’re a group that has worked extremely hard… the better they play, the more extended minutes they’ll get.”
Eyes on Texas
With a massive showdown against Texas approaching, Staley dismissed speculation that her team was looking ahead during the Georgia game.
“No, no. I mean, I don’t know. I don’t really know what it was,” she said when asked if the Texas game was a distraction. “Besides, you know, we want players to be aggressive.”
The coach emphasized the importance of the upcoming matchup: “Big game for us. Everybody knows that. There’s a lot of implications regarding the game that are near and far.”
As South Carolina prepares for one of its biggest tests of the season, the message is clear: the Gamecocks must find their offensive rhythm, or even their elite defense won’t be enough against top-tier competition.
Source: On3
