Everything You Need to Know About Sunday’s “We Back Pat” Showdown at Colonial Life Arena
Game Information
Matchup: Georgia Lady Bulldogs (15-2, 1-2 SEC) at No. 3 South Carolina Gamecocks (16-1, 3-0 SEC)
Date: Sunday, January 11, 2026
Time: 2:00 p.m. ET
Location: Colonial Life Arena (18,000), Columbia, South Carolina
Event: “We Back Pat” Game
How to Watch and Listen
Television: SEC Network
Streaming: ESPN App, SEC Network+ (for those with SEC Network access)
Announcers: Eric Frede (play-by-play) and Christy Thomaskutty (analyst)
South Carolina Radio:
- Local: 106.7 FM in Columbia
- Play-by-Play: Brad Muller
- Pregame Show: Begins at 1:30 p.m. ET
- Streaming Options: Direct link to broadcast
- Satellite Radio: SiriusXM Channel 191
Georgia Radio:
- Local: 960 AM The Ref, ESPN 103.7 FM
- Play-by-Play: Jeff Dantzler
- Streaming: Georgia Bulldogs Sports App
Doors Open: 1:00 p.m. (12:30 p.m. for Fast Break Pass holders)
Broadcast Team Breakdown
Eric Frede returns to call another South Carolina game after working extensively on SEC Network+ throughout the season. Frede has become a familiar voice for Gamecocks fans, having called their recent Arkansas matchup alongside Matt Zimmerman.
Christy Thomaskutty brings her analyst expertise to the broadcast. Known for her insightful breakdown of defensive schemes and player matchups, Thomaskutty has been a rising voice in women’s basketball coverage on ESPN’s platforms.
Projected Starters
South Carolina Gamecocks
Probable Starting Five:
- Raven Johnson – Guard, Junior (16.0 ppg in SEC play, .586 FG%)
- Tessa Johnson – Guard, Junior (14.7 ppg in SEC play, 2.7 three-pointers per game)
- Joyce Edwards – Forward, Sophomore (21.1 ppg, .613 FG%, 7.0 rpg in SEC play)
- Madina Okot – Center, Senior (11.4 rpg, .612 FG%, 12 double-doubles)
- Agot Makeer – Guard, Freshman (8.3 ppg since semester break, 7.7 ppg in SEC play)
Note: Ta’Niya Latson’s status remains questionable (see injury report below). If she plays, she would likely start in place of Makeer, who has filled the starting role admirably during Latson’s three-and-a-half game absence.
Key Reserves:
- Maddy McDaniel – Guard, Freshman (4.3 apg in SEC play, 4.33 assist-to-turnover ratio)
- Adhel Tac – Forward
- Maryam Dauda – Forward
- Emily Robinson – Guard
Georgia Lady Bulldogs
Probable Starting Five:
- De’Mauri Flournoy – Guard, Junior (averaging 14.3 ppg over last seven games)
- Dani Carnegie – Guard/Forward, Leading Scorer (18.2 ppg, 5.9 rpg)
- Trinity Turner – Double-figure scorer
- Javyn Nicholson – Forward, Fifth-Year Senior (12 double-doubles this season, second in SEC)
- Mia Woolfolk – Double-figure scorer
Key Reserves:
- Taniyah Thompson – Guard, Fifth-Year Senior (minutes increased from 12.1 to 26.7 following Zoesha Smith’s injury)
- Rylie Theuerkauf – Double-figure scorer
Injury Report and Availability
South Carolina
Ta’Niya Latson (Guard, Senior) – QUESTIONABLE
The biggest question mark heading into Sunday’s game surrounds the availability of transfer guard Ta’Niya Latson, who has been dealing with a left ankle sprain since December 28 against Providence.
Timeline:
- December 28: Injured left ankle driving for transition layup against Providence
- January 1: Seen in walking boot
- January 4: No longer in boot
- January 7: Returned to practice
- January 8: Did not play against Arkansas (93-58 South Carolina win)
- January 9: Participated in practice with starters, running offensive sets without apparent limitation
- January 10: Expected to practice; decision on availability for Georgia game to be made
“We’re going to see how she feels (Saturday). Every day is just, we’re ramping her up,” Dawn Staley said on January 9, according to Yahoo Sports. “If that lower leg injury doesn’t feel good (Saturday), then we have to pull back. If it does, we’ll just continue to try to push through.”
Staley acknowledged the mental challenges that come with returning from injury for elite athletes. “It’s hard for athletes who perform at a high level, they’re just used to their bodies just guiding them through their play, and when it doesn’t work the way they envision it takes a stab in their confidence,” she explained, per Yahoo Sports.
Latson’s 2025-26 Statistics:
- 16.9 points per game (2nd on team behind Joyce Edwards’ 21.1)
- 4.0 assists per game
- 3.5 rebounds per game
- 1.6 steals per game
- 51.9% field goal percentage (career-high)
- 41.7% three-point percentage (career-high)
Background: Latson transferred from Florida State after leading the nation in scoring at 25.2 points per game last season. She’s averaging just under 30 minutes per game when healthy and has yet to play in her first SEC game at South Carolina.
Coaching Decision: Even if Latson is cleared medically, Staley must decide whether to ease her back into action off the bench or return her immediately to the starting lineup. As of January 9, the coach remained undecided on this approach.
Alicia Tournebize (Forward, Freshman) – QUESTIONABLE
The 6-foot-7 French forward was not at Friday’s practice because she was attending freshman orientation, a standard requirement for new students. Staley has not publicly disclosed whether Tournebize will make her collegiate debut against Georgia.
Background: Tournebize arrived in Columbia on January 1 after playing professional basketball in France. She traveled with the team to Florida on January 4 but did not see action in the 74-63 victory. She also did not play in the 93-58 win at Arkansas on January 8.
“Not yet, we’ll do that once she’s able to hit the floor, that’s probably going to be sometime next week I’m imagining,” Staley said on January 6 regarding Tournebize’s playbook readiness, per Yahoo Sports.
However, with a grueling stretch of games ahead—including No. 2 Texas on January 15—Sunday’s game against unranked Georgia might represent the best opportunity to give Tournebize her first collegiate minutes before facing tougher competition.
What Tournebize Brings: The French forward offers unique skills South Carolina currently lacks. She can shoot from the perimeter, create high-low passing opportunities, and provides size at 6-foot-7 while maintaining mobility. Her mother, Isabelle Fijalkowski, is a French basketball legend and member of the FIBA Hall of Fame.
Season-Ending Injuries:
- Chloe Kitts (Forward) – Out for season with torn right ACL
- Ashlyn Watkins (Forward) – Out for season (rehabbing torn ACL suffered in January 2025, not with team)
Availability Note: South Carolina has finished with all 10 available players just three times this season. The Gamecocks had their full complement on November 23 and during two games in Las Vegas over Thanksgiving. Since then, injuries to Makeer (concussion protocol), Latson (ankle), Tessa Johnson, and Madina Okot have limited availability at various points.
Georgia
Zoesha Smith (Guard) – OUT FOR SEASON
Smith suffered a season-ending injury, significantly depleting Georgia’s backcourt depth. Her absence has forced other players into expanded roles, particularly fifth-year senior Taniyah Thompson, whose minutes have increased from an average of 12.1 before the injury to 26.7 since.
Impact: Georgia coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson has had to adjust rotations and rely more heavily on veterans to compensate for Smith’s loss. The Lady Bulldogs’ guard depth will be tested against South Carolina’s relentless defensive pressure.
Series History
All-Time Record: Georgia leads 33-26
Dawn Staley Era (2008-09 to present): South Carolina leads 22-6
Current Streak: South Carolina has won 19 consecutive games
Last Meeting: South Carolina 74, Georgia 42 (February 6, 2025, in Athens)
Last Meeting in Columbia: South Carolina 70, Georgia 56 (February 18, 2024)
Georgia is searching for its first victory over South Carolina since the 2012-13 season, a drought that has now extended through three different Bulldogs coaching regimes.
Key Storylines
1. The Return Question
Will Ta’Niya Latson make her South Carolina SEC debut? The star transfer hasn’t played since December 28, and the Gamecocks have won their last three games without her. However, with No. 2 Texas visiting Colonial Life Arena on January 15, Latson could benefit from game action against Georgia to shake off rust before facing the nation’s only undefeated team.
2. Minutes Management
South Carolina’s starters have been logging heavy minutes due to limited depth. Against Florida, the Johnsons each played 35 minutes, while Maddy McDaniel played 33. Staley even used timeouts for rest—something she rarely does.
“We’ve been playing our starters 35, 36 minutes,” Staley said, according to On3. “We’d like for that to be around 30, not even 30. 28 is where I think we can have peak performance with everybody. Everybody doesn’t have to conserve because they’re trying to make it through the game.”
The blowout of Arkansas (93-58) provided relief, with Edwards playing just 25 minutes and the Johnsons logging 21 minutes each. A similar outcome against Georgia would help preserve legs for the brutal stretch ahead.
3. Bench Production
Freshman guards Maddy McDaniel and Agot Makeer have emerged as reliable contributors during Latson’s absence. McDaniel has been particularly impressive, recording a team-high six assists without a turnover in 26 minutes against Arkansas—what Staley called her best performance “by far” on both ends of the floor.
“Great job on both sides of the basketball,” Staley said of the duo, per Yahoo Sports. “Just predictable, you want the people coming off the bench you want to know what they’re going to give.”
McDaniel and Makeer have combined for 39 points over the last three games, along with 26 combined assists, providing crucial secondary scoring.
4. “We Back Pat” Tribute
Sunday’s game honors the late Tennessee coaching legend Pat Summitt, who battled early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. South Carolina will also hold its annual Play4Kay game on February 5 against Mississippi State, honoring late NC State coach Kay Yow.
Freshman Maddy McDaniel is one of 65 players across all divisions honored with the Kay Yow Servant Leader Award, recognizing players who exemplify leadership and service in fighting cancers affecting women. McDaniel wears a patch on her jersey honoring her mother, an ovarian cancer survivor.
“It means a lot,” McDaniel said, according to On3. “Just to be able to honor my mom and what she went through, it means a lot to be able to go on the floor and play for her every game.”
5. Georgia’s Challenge
The Lady Bulldogs went undefeated in non-conference play but have struggled out of the gate in SEC action, posting a 1-2 record with losses to Ole Miss (79-62) and LSU (80-59) sandwiching a victory over Texas A&M.
Dani Carnegie has been Georgia’s offensive catalyst, scoring at least 23 points in each SEC game but shooting just 33% against Texas A&M and LSU combined, including 24% from three-point range. Against South Carolina’s defense—which ranks 5th nationally in field goal percentage defense (.320)—Carnegie will need to be far more efficient.
Georgia’s biggest weakness is rebounding. The Lady Bulldogs average just 39.6 rebounds per game for a plus-6.4 margin, and they’re undersized at most positions. Against South Carolina’s physical frontcourt led by Edwards and Okot, this could prove decisive.
What to Watch For
South Carolina’s Fast Break: The Gamecocks lead the nation with 27.0% of their points coming on fast break (24.6 ppg). Georgia allowed 48 points in the paint to LSU, with half coming in transition—a recipe for disaster against South Carolina.
Raven Johnson’s Milestone Watch: Johnson needs just four assists to tie for fifth place in South Carolina program history in career assists. She’s been facilitating at a high level in SEC play, averaging 16.0 points per game while maintaining elite efficiency.
Joyce Edwards’ Dominance: The national player of the year candidate is averaging 21.1 points on .613 field goal percentage (SEC-best, 11th nationally). Georgia’s undersized frontline will struggle to contain her physicality in the paint.
Madina Okot’s Rebounding: The senior center ranks 2nd nationally in double-doubles (12) and 9th in rebounds per game (11.4). In SEC play, she’s averaging 12.0 total rebounds and 6.0 offensive boards—both second in the conference. Georgia’s rebounding weakness plays directly into her strengths.
Prediction
South Carolina enters as heavy favorites, having won 19 straight against Georgia and dominating recent meetings by an average margin of 20+ points. If Latson returns, the Gamecocks should cruise to a comfortable 15-20 point victory. Without her, expect South Carolina to win by 10-15 points behind their overwhelming advantages in size, depth, and home court.
Georgia would need a near-perfect shooting performance combined with South Carolina having an uncharacteristically poor game to pull off the upset. The Lady Bulldogs’ transition defense struggles and rebounding deficiencies make them particularly vulnerable to the Gamecocks’ strengths.
Colonial Life Arena will be rocking for the “We Back Pat” tribute, providing additional energy for a South Carolina team looking to maintain its perfect SEC record before facing Texas on Wednesday.
Sources
- University of Georgia Athletics. “Georgia Travels to No. 3 South Carolina Sunday.” January 10, 2026.
- WIS-TV. “LIST: TV info for South Carolina women’s basketball schedule.” October 8, 2025.
- Yahoo Sports. “Dawn Staley gives Ta’Niya Latson injury update for South Carolina vs Georgia.” January 9, 2026.
- Yahoo Sports. “How Ta’Niya Latson injury impacted Dawn Staley, South Carolina’s reserve guards.” January 9, 2026.
- On3. “South Carolina women’s basketball vs. Arkansas: How to watch, TV, streaming, live updates.” January 8, 2026.
- ESPN. “Georgia vs. South Carolina (Jan 11, 2026) Live Score.” January 11, 2026.
- EssentiallySports. “Dawn Staley Announces Ta’Niya Latson Update as Questions Linger Around Alicia Tournebize vs Georgia.” January 10, 2026.
