No. 3 South Carolina (26-2, 12-1 SEC) picked up its seventh consecutive victory Thursday, defeating Alabama 76-57 on the road at Coleman Coliseum. The Gamecocks have now beaten three straight ranked opponents and sit one win away from clinching at least a share of the SEC regular season title.
A Game of Momentum Swings
Despite holding a 24-game winning streak over Alabama, head coach Dawn Staley has long acknowledged the Crimson Tide’s ability to make things uncomfortable — and Thursday was no different. South Carolina burst out of the gate with a 21-8 first quarter, only for Alabama to claw back within four points early in the second. The Gamecocks answered with a 9-0 run, extended the lead to 15, then watched it shrink again — before closing the half on an 8-0 run to lead 42-32 at the break, shooting 48.6% compared to Alabama’s 41.4%.
The third quarter followed a similar pattern, with Alabama trimming a 16-point deficit down to seven. A decisive run in the fourth quarter ultimately put the game away.
“They were a hard guard in January, they were a hard guard today,” Staley said of Alabama. “They run their sets with efficiency. I thought they turned the ball over a little bit more than they usually do. … They’ve got players one through five, and they got a little bit of depth coming off the bench that gives them a shot at winning every time they step on the floor.”
Painting the Lane
Alabama came in ranked 12th nationally in three-point shooting at 37% and went 10-of-30 from beyond the arc — respectable, but not enough. South Carolina countered by controlling the paint, outscoring the Crimson Tide 44-20 in the lane while also out-rebounding them 39-31. The Gamecocks made just four threes, but their interior dominance proved far more decisive.
Double-Double Duo
Senior forward Madina Okot was the standout performer of the night, recording 13 points and 10 rebounds by halftime alone and finishing with 16 points, 16 rebounds, four blocks, and two three-pointers — matching her career high in rejections. It was her 17th double-double of the season and her fourth in as many games.
Staley credited recent offensive adjustments for unlocking Okot’s form: “I thought she hit her stretch a couple of games ago where nothing seemed to go right for her. And I thought we just kind of did some adjustments in our offense to just give her some more direction as to where to be. And it’s kind of working out for her. … Now I think it’s just clearer, and she’s just playing more aggressive basketball. That benefits us, obviously.”
Joyce Edwards complemented Okot brilliantly, delivering 23 points and 12 rebounds for a double-double of her own — her scoring proving especially critical as Okot cooled in the second half. Staley was effusive in her praise: “Joyce shoots herself out of a cannon all the time. I think she plays fairly quickly. I think her athleticism and her quickness really gives her an advantage to shoot the ball to drive past people or actually posting up. I thought we did a great job at finding her, especially when she had two feet in the paint and a guard on her. So she won the matchup when there was somewhat of a mismatch.”
Injury Updates
Sophomore forward Adhel Tac missed her second straight game, still wearing a boot on her left foot as she manages a lower leg injury Staley has described as “day to day.”
The better news came in the form of guard Maddy McDaniel’s return after a two-game absence. She played 27 minutes and tied her career high with 10 points. Staley was candid about playing her more than planned: “We’ve missed her. I didn’t want to play her as many minutes as I did play her, but she was just playing so well, and she looked comfortable, and she looked like she missed playing basketball. So we played her a little bit longer than I anticipated and she was just playing extremely well. We need Maddy. Maddy makes us a better basketball team.”
Raven Johnson, meanwhile, played through illness and was limited to 19 minutes after averaging 28 per game this season. She was spotted visiting the locker room multiple times but Staley confirmed she expects Johnson to be available Sunday against Ole Miss.
A Farewell to Under Armour
South Carolina debuted a sleek all-black uniform with white accents against Alabama — featuring a glossy South Carolina logo and three stars on the back commemorating the program’s national championship titles. It may well be the last new uniform combination the Gamecocks unveil as an Under Armour school, as their deal expires this summer and Nike takes over as the primary athletics apparel sponsor from July 1. A full uniform redesign is expected within the first four years of the new Nike partnership.
