Live Report: Maryam Dauda Shines Against Former Team as South Carolina Dominates Arkansas
FAYETTEVILLE, ARK. — In the ever-changing landscape of college basketball, facing a former team is no longer a rarity, thanks to the transfer portal. On Thursday night, Maryam Dauda found herself in that very position, suiting up for South Carolina against Arkansas, the team she once called home.
And what a night it was for the Gamecocks.
No. 6 South Carolina dismantled Arkansas in dominant fashion, cruising to a 95-55 victory to improve to 24-3 on the season with a 12-1 SEC record. But the spotlight wasn’t just on the team’s performance—Dauda had one of her best outings as a Gamecock.
Logging 14 minutes, she contributed nine points and eight rebounds, a significant step up from her usual role.
“I was happy for Maryam,” said head coach Dawn Staley. “Obviously, it’s tough playing your former team, but I thought she looked more relaxed than she has all season. She had every reason to be nervous, but she gave us some really good minutes.”
After spending her first two collegiate seasons at Arkansas, Dauda made the move to Columbia this year. Last season with the Razorbacks, she was a key piece of the lineup, starting all 33 games while averaging 10.1 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.
At South Carolina, however, her role has been more limited due to the Gamecocks’ impressive depth in the post. Coming into the game, she had been averaging just 6.5 minutes per game, with two points and 1.8 rebounds per outing. But Thursday night saw a different side of Dauda.
Her 14-minute performance marked only the fourth time this season she logged double-digit minutes—and the first since playing 11 minutes in a blowout win over Oklahoma last month.
“We put her in early to see how she’d handle it, and she just looked calm,” Staley said. “I hope this performance allows her to help us moving forward, because there’s something there. She rebounds the basketball.”
Dauda’s nine points were just one shy of a season-high, and she was efficient from the field, tying a season-best 3-for-5 shooting, including a three-pointer. Her eight rebounds also matched her best mark this year.
With Ashlyn Watkins sidelined due to an ACL tear, Staley has been looking for players like Dauda, Adhel Tac, and Sakima Walker to step up in the frontcourt. While the Gamecocks continue to rely heavily on Joyce Edwards, Chloe Kitts, and Sania Feagin, Thursday’s game could be the turning point for Dauda.
“Sometimes she wants to play perfectly, do everything right,” Staley noted. “But that can get in the way. I’m hoping this is the moment that pushes her forward, because she could end up helping us down the line.”
With a performance like this, Dauda has certainly made her case for more minutes—and South Carolina might just need her in the games to come.
