South Carolina Women’s Basketball: Adhel Tac Offers a Preview of What’s to Come

The game was well out of reach for #1 South Carolina as they faced #16 Tennessee Tech, and by the third quarter, they were simply padding their stats. The outcome was never in question, but the opportunity for players to get some minutes was now at hand.

Adhel Tac had yet to step onto the court. The redshirt freshman post, who has had a challenging season, had been waiting for her chance. Head coach Dawn Staley had given some time to more experienced players like Maryam Dauda and Sakima Walker first, but now it was Tac’s turn to shine.

As Tac jogged to the scorer’s table, the buzzer sounded, and the crowd at Colonial Life Arena erupted in cheers. In the midst of the excitement, Tac nearly forgot to remove her shooting shirt, distracted by trying to figure out who she was replacing.

It didn’t matter, though—Tac was finally playing in an NCAA Tournament game.

“I was very excited,” Tac shared. “Less nervous, honestly. I really didn’t feel any nerves. For me, I was just really pumped up.”

This was technically Tac’s second NCAA Tournament appearance. Last year, she was a redshirt freshman, having enrolled in January to recover from a knee injury. Although she received a championship ring, this time she was on the court, ready to contribute.

“I’m really excited,” she said before the first-round game. “I was super excited last year, but it’s always different when you’re an active player. Last year was just that feeling of wanting to play, and now that I know I can actually participate, it’s really great.”

Tac wasted no time making an impact. Less than a minute after stepping onto the floor, she scored her first basket, causing the crowd to roar. A minute later, she caught a lob from freshman Maddy McDaniel and scored again, sending the fans into a frenzy.

“I didn’t have any expectations going into the game, didn’t have an idea of how many points I wanted to score, or rebounds, blocks, whatever,” Tac reflected. “I just wanted to be able to play my game and play good basketball. I’m really glad I was able to do that when I got in.”

Both Tac and McDaniel are excited about the future of their connection on the court.

“That’s actually the preferred pass for me,” Tac explained. “I like to catch a higher pass because I know that I can just try and get up and get it. Maddy threw the perfect pass. We’ve got a lot of those to come.”

Tac finished the game with six points and two rebounds in just five minutes of play, enough to earn her a spot in the postgame interview room, where only the game’s stars are typically called.

Tac is known as one of the more cerebral players on the team. She has a deep understanding of the game, always keeping up with the scouting reports and constantly communicating with teammates—even when she’s not on the floor.

Dawn Staley has often praised Tac for her intelligence on the court, even comparing her to Aliyah Boston. Tac’s understanding of the game is so sharp that she can explain complex concepts to sportswriters, which was part of why last season’s experience was so valuable for her.

“I wouldn’t probably have considered just how much it takes to get to (a championship),” Tac said. “I’m really grateful that I actually got to experience having a national championship run because now I know what it consists of and what it takes and what I need to bring out of myself and my teammates to win.”