South Carolina vs. Southern Cal: What to Watch as The Real SC Series Tips Off in Los Angeles
South Carolina and Southern Cal will square off in Los Angeles for the opening game of The Real SC Series, and both teams enter with plenty of intrigue. As Dawn Staley’s squad prepares for its biggest test of the young season, here are the main storylines heading into Saturday’s matchup.
1. What Do We Know So Far?
Southern Cal enters the game having already been pushed to the brink, pulling out a thrilling 69–68 victory over NC State. That matchup revealed a lot about the Trojans—they’ve already had to fight through late-game adversity. Meanwhile, South Carolina cruised through its first two contests and had not been tested until Clemson pushed them for three quarters.
Staley acknowledged the contrast in early-season challenges:
“They’re a little bit more battle-tested than we are, playing the schedule that they play,” Dawn Staley said. “So, hopefully, the teams that we’ve played — and they have — have prepared us for them, as far as the type of offenses.”
Clemson hung within 10 points entering the fourth quarter, forcing South Carolina to clean up mistakes and refocus before ultimately pulling away. Staley said the challenge was needed.
“I thought it was a real challenge for us tonight, they challenged us to be more disciplined. And if we didn’t, we lose a basketball game, they get into our lead,” Staley said. “So it’s really good stuff that we need to show our team so we can recognize it… once they recognize it and they’re aware of it, we make adjustments, and they can actually execute the adjustments.”
When asked if she felt confident the team learned from the Clemson test, Staley admitted they got off-track:
“We weren’t organized, and I will own that,” Staley said. “We weren’t getting in the things that we were familiar with… once you do that, it leads to bad shots. So, towards the end of the third quarter and into the fourth quarter, we just really got them into things that were familiar.”
2. Ta’Niya Latson Needs More Looks
Latson attempted only eight shots against Clemson—a surprisingly low number for a high-level scorer. When the offense stagnates, she must be more aggressive.
Was she trying too hard to blend in with her new teammates? Did South Carolina forget to lean on her offensive creation?
Raven Johnson believes it was a learning moment:
“I think that game helped us realize what we need to do and how to get better. We’re going to take that game and run with it,” Johnson said. “I think she’s being Ta’Niya Latson. She’s going to get better, and she knows what she needs to work on.”
3. Jazzy Davidson vs. Agot Makeer — A Freshman Showdown
When this series was scheduled, many expected a marquee duel between Juju Watkins and Milaysia Fulwiley. Instead, fans will be treated to a rising-star matchup between elite freshmen Jazzy Davidson and Agot Makeer.
Davidson, the No. 1 recruit in the nation, erupted for 21 points—including the game-winner—against NC State. She’s averaging:
- 17.5 points
- 4.5 rebounds
- 4.0 assists
Makeer, while not carrying the same scoring load, has quickly become South Carolina’s top bench option and a trusted fourth-quarter presence. She’s putting up:
- 7.7 points
- 3.0 rebounds
- 1.7 blocks
- 57% from three
Both players have exceptional length and defensive instincts, giving this matchup tremendous intrigue. NC State struggled to defend Davidson because of her size–quickness combination, but Makeer’s presence could help limit her effectiveness.
Raven Johnson summarized the defensive key:
“Take away her options, take away her eyesight,” Johnson said. “Just limit things, honestly, but it’s going to be a team effort.”
4. Availability Update
South Carolina met with the media on Thursday ahead of its trip west. As of that practice:
- The entire Gamecocks roster is healthy and available.
- Maddy McDaniel remains suspended indefinitely.
For USC, star freshman Juju Watkins is out for the season due to the ACL injury she suffered during last year’s NCAA Tournament.
5. Scouting Southern Cal
The Trojans enter this matchup still finding their identity. Only one starter—Kennedy Smith—returns from last season, and just two players on the roster are seniors, both in their first year with the team.
Davidson has been electrifying but inconsistent shooting the ball:
- 30.8% from the field
- 3-for-16 from three
Londynn Jones has matched Davidson’s scoring output at 17.5 points per game, and Gamecock fans remember her well—she hit 5-for-5 from three and dropped 15 points on South Carolina last season as a UCLA Bruin.
Smith contributes:
- 10.5 points
- 6.0 rebounds
Against NC State, the trio of Davidson, Jones, and Smith accounted for 50 of 69 points. The Trojans also struggled on the boards, getting outrebounded by 14.
Staley emphasized defensive discipline:
“We’ve got to figure out how we create layers to our defense so they don’t get easy looks,” Staley said. “Make them work for catches, make them work for good looks… we got to be committed to that, as an overall team.”
The Details
- Who: No. 2 South Carolina (3–0) vs. No. 8 Southern Cal (2–0)
- When: 9:00 PM ET, Saturday, November 15
- Where: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
- Watch: FOX
