We’re officially a quarter of the way into the 21st century — take a second to let that sink in.
Now that you’ve made peace with the passage of time, it’s the perfect moment to celebrate some history.
It’s 2025, and we’re counting down the 25 greatest South Carolina women’s basketball moments of the century. Today, we’re going from No. 25 to No. 11 — the top 10 are coming later this week.
Honorable Mentions
Rutgers Exhibition (2023)
The 2022–23 Gamecocks were supposed to run the table and cement their place among the all-time greats. Instead, a crushing Final Four loss forced them to rebuild almost the entire roster. The vultures — aka the critics — were circling. Quietly, I had a hunch the “next” team could be just as good. Then came the Rutgers exhibition. They looked better. I typed that into my notes… and promptly buried it. By Game 2 of the season, I pulled it back out.
Big Shot Breezy vs. LSU (2024)
When I asked senior Bree Hall her favorite moment of the 2025 NCAA Tournament, she didn’t hesitate long before saying, “The shot against LSU.” In front of one of the largest home crowds in program history, LSU built an 11-point first-half lead. South Carolina clawed back, and Hall’s back-to-back threes broke a 67-67 tie to keep the perfect season alive.
Triple-Double Club
Rare enough to be special, common enough to be selective — only one made this list. But props to Chloe Kitts (16/13/10), Aliyah Boston (16/11/10), Alaina Coates (29/16/10), Iva Siskovic (18/15/10), and Cristina Ciocan (22/10/13).
25. Clemson Beatdown (2014)
A 99-41 win that felt even bigger. A year prior, a 68-43 score didn’t feel like a canyon between programs — but this night did. Late in the game, Dawn Staley emptied the bench… which meant putting four McDonald’s All-Americans on the court. That depth was unheard of at South Carolina before.
24. First SEC Tournament Crown (2015)
After winning the program’s first SEC regular-season title in 2014 but falling in the tournament semis, 2015 was different. Beating co-champ Tennessee in the title game was sweet. When a reporter in 2023 asked Dawn Staley if it meant more to beat Tennessee, she shot back: “No. We already beat them.”
23. Jocelyn Penn’s 51-Point Game (2002)
Against Stetson, Penn single-handedly outscored the Hatters in a 101-39 rout. The second-half stat padding kept it from ranking higher, but it’s still the program’s single-game scoring record.
22. A’ja Wilson’s Statue (2021)
On a freezing MLK Day, South Carolina unveiled A’ja Wilson’s statue — one of the first for a women’s basketball player. It quickly became a Columbia landmark. Wilson’s speech was unforgettable:
“When (my grandmother) was a child, she couldn’t even walk on the grounds of the University of South Carolina. If only she was here today to see that the same grounds she had to walk around now is the same grounds that houses a statue of her granddaughter.”
Arkansas coach Mike Neighbors even said, “I’m not sure A’ja didn’t have the best [MLK quote] today.”
21. Aliyah Boston’s Historic Debut (2019)
The only player in NCAA history — men’s or women’s — to record a triple-double in a debut. Boston’s line: 12 points, 12 rebounds, 10 blocks vs. Alabama State.
20. Shutting Out Texas in the Elite Eight (2021)
Vic Schaefer’s Texas squad didn’t score a single point in the fourth quarter. That record will stand forever.
19. Kentucky Humiliation (2020)
National consensus: South Carolina couldn’t handle Rhyne Howard and No. 13 Kentucky. Reality: They could — and then some. By halftime, it was 49-28 and Howard had more turnovers than baskets. Final score: 99-72, and Matthew Mitchell literally crawling on the court in defeat.
18. First Win at Tennessee (2012)
Markeshia Grant’s 27 points fueled an upset of No. 8 Tennessee — the Gamecocks’ first win in Knoxville, and first over the Lady Vols since 1980.
17. The Silent Timeout (2020)
Down nine to Mississippi State, Dawn Staley called timeout… and said nothing. Ty Harris took over the huddle, sparking a comeback win capped by Zia Cooke’s clutch interception. I booked my Final Four hotel that night. Fate had other ideas.
16. Henny’s Heroics vs. Stanford (2021)
Down 18 to defending champ Stanford, injured Destanni Henderson returned and flipped the game with 17 points, 7 assists, and 7 steals. Even Tara VanDerveer joked, “If (Henderson) could have waited one game, I would have been happy.”
15. 2012 NCAA Tournament Run
Despite being a No. 4 seed, South Carolina had to play at Purdue — and still beat Eastern Michigan and Purdue to make the Sweet 16. Staley told her team after the Stanford loss, “We got out-talented, not out-played.” Talent would come soon enough.
14. Aliyah Boston vs. UConn (2021)
The AP poll was delayed a day for UConn’s “inevitable” win. Instead, Boston posted 22 points, 15 rebounds, and, as Staley put it, “in a big-ass game,” sealing a 73-57 victory. Mic dropped.
13. 2002 Elite Eight
Led by Jocelyn Penn and Shaunzinski Gortman, South Carolina reached its first Elite Eight in two decades. They fell to Duke, but it was the high-water mark until the Staley era exploded.
12. February 23, 2017 — The Night Everything Changed
With Alaina Coates injured, Kentucky stunned Mississippi State, and Staley inserted Bianca Cuevas-Moore into the lineup. The move set off a chain reaction that ended in SEC and national championships.
11. Brea Beal Locks Down Hailey Van Lith (2022)
South Carolina’s offense was doubted, but the defense was historic. In the Final Four, Beal forced Van Lith into a travel and two blocks to open the game — and gave up just 29 points total to opponents’ top scorers all tournament.
