South Carolina Gamecocks women’s basketball received encouraging news at practice this week as Maddy McDaniel returned to the floor and is expected to suit up in the upcoming game.
Head coach confirmed McDaniel’s status after Wednesday’s session.
“Yes, she practiced so she’s good,” Staley said.
McDaniel’s availability is a welcome boost after she was a late scratch against Tennessee. She did not appear on the initial availability report but was later ruled out on game day. During that contest, she was seen wearing a boot on her left foot.
Meanwhile, Adhel “Tac” Tac remains sidelined. She was still in a boot and dressed in sweats during the portion of practice open to reporters. As has been her approach all season, Staley kept the details brief when asked about Tac’s condition.
“Lower leg injury,” she said. “Day-to-day.”
Both players have been dealing with left leg issues that first surfaced about a week ago. McDaniel and Tac were unavailable for the LSU matchup — McDaniel went through warmups but did not check into the game, while Tac watched from the bench in sweats with a protective boot.
Before the injury, McDaniel had carved out a steady role in the rotation. She is averaging 4.5 points and just under 3.0 assists per game, and she has taken care of the ball exceptionally well, committing only 12 turnovers all season. That gives her an impressive 5.2 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Tac’s absence against Tennessee was matchup-related rather than injury-based, as she was dressed and available but did not see action. Overall, she has played in 23 games with three starts, contributing 3.1 points and 3.4 rebounds per outing.
The setbacks to McDaniel and Tac add to what has been a challenging, injury-filled campaign for South Carolina. The Gamecocks have started only nine of their 27 games at full strength and have managed to finish just six games with their entire roster available — a testament to the team’s resilience amid constant lineup adjustments.
