South Carolina Women’s Basketball: 3-2-1 Breakdown – Key Players, Tough Questions, and a Standout Play from a Disheartening Weekend

Live from the Gamecocks’ weekend rollercoaster, here’s my breakdown of the standout players, burning questions, and my favorite moment.

Three Clutch Players

Joyce Edwards
Against Florida: 19 minutes, 28 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal
Against UConn: 28 minutes, 17 points, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks

Edwards had a career-high 28 points against Florida and was pivotal for the Gamecocks against UConn, leading the team in scoring and tying for the lead in rebounds. It’s clear: Joyce Edwards is South Carolina’s top performer as they head into the final stretch of the season.

Te-Hina Paopao
Against Florida: 20 minutes, 14 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists
Against UConn: 29 minutes, 10 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists

Paopao set the tone early in the Florida game, delivering one of her best performances as a Gamecock. While she struggled with her shot against UConn, her involvement, especially in the first half, kept her engaged on the court.

Champ Staley
As Dawn Staley fondly referred to him, “My emotional support dog.” After the loss to UConn, Staley and Champ walked into the postgame interview together, with associate head dog mom, Lisa Boyer, later taking Champ behind Colonial Life Arena. You have to imagine that some tough conversations were had, and a little support from a pup never hurt.

Two Burning Questions

1. What happened?
Coming off a dominant win against Florida, everything seemed to align perfectly for the Gamecocks heading into the UConn game. The crowd was pumped, and even though UConn initially took the lead, South Carolina was still getting good looks. But then… it all fell apart. Feagin got hit in the face early, and MiLaysia Fulwiley quickly picked up two fouls, throwing off the rotation. But despite these setbacks, it was a complete breakdown for the team, and the reasons behind it remain unclear. We’ll have to see if they can figure it out internally and turn things around.

2. Can they bounce back?
Can the Gamecocks regain their form? Absolutely. But will they? That’s still uncertain. I’m cautiously optimistic. The UConn game was such an outlier that I don’t think it should define the team’s season. But still, it’s concerning to see them falter in such a high-stakes game, especially given their history of performing best in the biggest moments. The question now is whether they can rediscover that competitive edge.

One Favorite Play

There weren’t many bright spots against UConn, but one play that stood out was MiLaysia Fulwiley’s incredible block. With Sarah Strong seemingly on her way to an easy layup, Fulwiley came from the help side and swatted the ball away, denying the 6-2 Strong a chance at scoring. It was an amazing display of defensive timing.