COLUMBIA, S.C. — The rivalry is back.
Dawn Staley and her No. 2 South Carolina women’s basketball team (2-0) are set to host arch-rival Clemson (2-0) Tuesday night at Colonial Life Arena, with tipoff scheduled for 6 p.m. on ESPN2.
The Gamecocks are coming off dominant wins over Grand Canyon and Bowling Green, while the Tigers enter fresh off victories against USC Upstate and Mercer. But when these two Palmetto State powers meet, records rarely matter.
Injury Updates: Gamecock Guards in Question
South Carolina’s backcourt depth could be tested in this matchup.
Freshman Agot Makeer exited the third quarter of Friday’s win over Bowling Green after appearing to tweak her lower back. She limped off the court following a missed layup and did not return.
While head coach Dawn Staley declined to provide details, she confirmed Monday that Makeer “practiced a little bit” and was seen shooting with teammates during the portion of practice open to media.
Sophomore guard Maddy McDaniel, however, remains doubtful after injuring her knee in the season opener against Grand Canyon. She wore a brace during the Bowling Green game and watched from the sidelines.
“Maddy will probably not play,” Staley said. “She’s rehabbing.”
If McDaniel and Makeer are unavailable, Staley will lean heavily on her starting guard trio — Raven Johnson, Ta’Niya Latson, and Tessa Johnson — with freshman Ayla McDowell likely stepping into a larger role.
Fast Starts a Must
So far this season, South Carolina has been explosive out of the gate, outscoring opponents 56-17 in first quarters through two games.
That’s a major improvement from last season, when sluggish openings — including against Clemson — were a recurring issue. The Gamecocks actually trailed the Tigers 11-10 after the first quarter last year before storming to a 77-45 win.
“It took a little while for us to separate ourselves the last time we played them,” Staley said. “So we’ll be ready to rock and roll.”
Chasing 15 Straight
South Carolina owns a 14-game winning streak over Clemson and leads the all-time series 36-33.
Staley’s teams have only fallen to the Tigers twice since she took over in 2008. And those early losses still fuel her.
“My first two years losing to them was a big deal — like a real big deal,” Staley recalled. “That’s always etched in my brain and my heart when it comes to this rivalry game.”
Clemson hasn’t come within single digits of South Carolina since 2018, when it lost 69-57. Over the past 14 matchups, the Gamecocks have won by an average of 32 points.
Still, Clemson head coach Shawn Poppie insists his team isn’t backing down.
“If we don’t have belief, then it doesn’t matter what kind of scout we have,” Poppie said Monday on 105.5 FM. “We’ve prepared with belief that we can go down there and win. There’s no doubt we’ll have to execute a lot of things.”
Game Details
- Who: No. 2 South Carolina (2-0) vs. Clemson (2-0)
- When: Tuesday, 6 p.m. ET
- Where: Colonial Life Arena, Columbia, S.C.
- TV: ESPN2 (Beth Mowins, Debbie Antonelli)
- Radio: 107.5 FM | Sirius XM 117 or 190 (Brad Muller)
