Dawn Staley shares update on injured Gamecock Te-Hina Paopao
The South Carolina women’s basketball team only had nine players available Monday night against South Dakota State.
Tessa Johnson, who sprained her ankle during shoot-around before Clemson last week, did not play. She had her right ankle in a boot and rolled around on a cart.
The new absence was senior guard Te-Hina Paopao. She was dealing with an ankle issue, a source with knowledge of her injury told The State, something that’s not expected to be a long-term concern.
Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley said after the game that she wasn’t sure when Paopao or Johnson will return to action.
“Pao wants to,” Staley said when asked if the guards would be available Friday. “Tessa wants to. But it’s really on their bodies.”
Neither player has practiced since sustaining their injuries, Staley added. The team is off Tuesday, so Paopao and Johnson will be re-evaluated Wednesday.
Paopao didn’t seem to be wearing a brace before the game or while on the sideline. Staley said the team missed her calming on-court presence against SDSU. The biggest impact of not having her in the game? Going “0-for-12 from three,” Staley said.
“We all miss Pao,” Staley added. “It’s only three games (into the season), but it’s been five, six months of getting comfortable with her being out there on the floor with us.”
Paopao has averaged 14 points (third on the team) and 3.33 shots made from 3-point range per game (second in the SEC and 29th in the nation), shooting 53.3% from the field and 58.8% from beyond the arc (first in the SEC and 26th in the nation).
The Gamecocks scored a season-low 78 points in their win over SDSU on a 43% clip after shooting just 33% from the field in the first half. They missed all nine 3-point attempts in the first two quarters, ending the game 0-for-12 from beyond the arc.
Next South Carolina WBB game
Who: No. 1 South Carolina (4-0) vs. Mississippi Valley State
When: Friday, 1 p.m.
Where: Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina
Streaming: SEC Network Plus
This story was originally published November 20, 2023 at 9:33 PM.
