Sania Feagin Sets Career-High in Scoring Against Ole Miss: Why It’s Key for South Carolina’s Timing

Dawn Staley’s South Carolina women’s basketball team is gearing up for March Madness, but their offense still needed a little fine-tuning as they faced Ole Miss Thursday night. Despite some earlier struggles with team chemistry, Sania Feagin wasted no time in showing the Rebels that the Gamecocks were here to play in their 75-59 victory.

While Joyce Edwards has been a consistent force off the bench, scoring in double digits, it was Feagin who made a statement Thursday night. If the senior forward can continue to dominate as she did in this game, South Carolina (26-3, 14-1 SEC), currently ranked No. 6, may just be able to carve out the offensive rhythm they’ve been seeking.

Feagin set a new career high, racking up 22 points, six rebounds, and five blocks. With only one regular season game left before the SEC Women’s Tournament, this performance couldn’t have come at a better time for the Gamecocks.

“I thought Feagin just did a great job being in the right place at the right time,” Coach Staley shared postgame. “She hit some mid-range shots as well. She was a senior out there, just knowing when to take her time and take the type of shot she wants to take.”

It’s clear Feagin’s journey this season hasn’t been easy. Staley openly admitted she considered removing her from the starting lineup earlier in the season. Feagin has spent her career behind Aliyah Boston and Kamilla Cardoso—two current WNBA stars—and didn’t have that luxury this year. When Ashlyn Watkins went down with an injury in January, the pressure shifted even more onto Feagin.

Earlier this year, Feagin contributed solidly with 12 points in games against LSU and Oklahoma, two of South Carolina’s strongest performances. However, in the weeks leading up to Thursday’s game, she struggled, not scoring more than seven points in six of her previous eight games. This included low-scoring efforts in losses to UConn and Texas.

But Thursday was a different story. Feagin was a force, and by halftime, she had already matched her career high of 16 points, shooting an impressive 7-of-9 from the field, while also adding three blocks and five rebounds.

When Ole Miss tied the game, Feagin calmly stood at the foul line, gesturing for everyone to take a breath. She then swiftly responded with a three-point play, hitting a layup through contact. Then, with 4:27 left in the half, Feagin made a crucial defensive play, blocking Starr Jacobs before racing up the floor, losing her defender, and scoring an easy layup off an assist from Chloe Kitts.

It’s clear that with Feagin stepping up when it matters most, South Carolina may have found the offensive boost they’ve needed heading into the postseason.