What We Learned About South Carolina Women’s Basketball After the Preseason
The exhibition slate is complete. With tune-ups against Anderson and North Carolina behind them, South Carolina women’s basketball now turns its focus to Monday’s season opener against Grand Canyon. Here are the biggest takeaways from the Gamecocks’ preseason performances.
1. Defense Still a Work in Progress
South Carolina allowed 81 points to North Carolina — and that was without the Tar Heels’ starting point guard on the floor. Defensive lapses were frequent, leading to reach-in fouls and poor rotations that sent UNC players to the line and got the Gamecocks’ post players into foul trouble.
That’s why head coach Dawn Staley made it clear what her top priority is before Monday’s opener.
“Defensively, we’ve got to be better connected than we are,” Staley said. “When we are, you’ll see the fouls cleaned up. The fouls are attributed to bad rotations and bad connection.”
Staley noted that the team’s lack of communication on defense had a ripple effect, forcing unnecessary fouls late in possessions. Three players finished with four fouls, something the staff will be addressing during film study over the weekend.
2. A ‘Big Girl by Committee’ Approach
Joyce Edwards remains the centerpiece in the paint — and she’s looked even sharper this preseason. But after her, South Carolina’s frontcourt rotation will be a group effort among Madina Okot, Maryam Dauda, and Adhel Tac.
Okot was dominant against Anderson, posting 17 points and 15 rebounds, but struggled with fouls versus UNC after trying to do too much. That opened the door for Dauda, who impressed with her rebounding and smart passing. Tac, meanwhile, got into early foul trouble and never quite settled in.
Staley emphasized that each big brings something different to the table.
“(Dauda) and Adhel are actually doing things that Joyce and Madina aren’t doing,” Staley said. “You need role players to play that way; distinctively different from how our starters are playing. They’re going to allow us to go deep and have the depth that we had in previous years.”
The Gamecocks have also experimented with a smaller, four-guard lineup. At one point, Maddy McDaniel, Raven Johnson, Ta’Niya Latson, and Agot Makeer shared the floor with just one forward — a look Staley says could match up well against modern, perimeter-heavy teams.
3. The Gamecocks Are Still Growing
There’s no question that South Carolina is still fine-tuning. From missed cuts and errant passes to blown defensive switches, the Gamecocks haven’t quite reached peak form yet.
The encouraging part? They’re improving fast — even within games.
A clear example came from the developing chemistry between Latson and Tessa Johnson. Early on, Latson missed Johnson on open looks, but by the second half, the pair was connecting seamlessly on offense.
“It’s about building chemistry with the players that you’re playing with,” Staley said. “That’s really hard. You need game experiences to do that.”
Fortunately, South Carolina’s early schedule provides time to keep improving before its toughest tests arrive. The Gamecocks won’t face major competition until Thanksgiving in Las Vegas, where they’ll meet Duke and either UCLA or Texas.
Given the steady progress so far, that timeline seems just right for Staley’s squad to hit its stride.
