3 things to watch for in South Carolina WBB’s first exhibition game
Dawn Staley and the South Carolina women’s basketball team will take the floor for the first time in the 2025-26 season on Friday night.
Granted, it’s not an official game.
The Gamecocks will take on Division II Anderson at Colonial Life Arena for the first of two exhibitions before the regular season starts Nov. 3.
This will be the first time we see what this year’s South Carolina team looks like in a game setting. Staley said Thursday that USC’s starters will be G Raven Johnson, G Ta’Niya Latson, G Tessa Johnson, F Joyce Edwards and C Madina Okot.
Here are three other things to track in South Carolina’s exhibition game with Anderson on Friday:
1. Ta’Niya Latson
The best scorer in the country will be making her much-anticipated debut in the garnet and black against Anderson.
Latson’s decision to transfer from Florida State to South Carolina was one of the biggest moves in the offseason. She led the nation with 25.2 points per game last year and earned All-ACC and All-America honors for her efforts.
“Definitely a little nerves for me. This is my first time in CLA,” Latson told local media Thursday. “... I feel like as a team, we’re connected. We built our chemistry over the summer. So we’re ready.”
There’s no doubt Latson will play a key role in South Carolina’s offense this season. The question is just how much scoring the Gamecocks will ask her to do. Latson said she’ll do whatever she needs to do to help South Carolina win, whether that’s score 15 or 25 points each night she takes the floor.
Be on the lookout for the connection Latson has with her old high school teammate Raven Johnson in the game.
2. First look at the freshmen
Staley’s two highly touted freshmen, Ayla McDowell and Agot Makeer, will be making their debuts with South Carolina on Friday.
Makeer was ranked No. 6 and McDowell was No. 15 in ESPN’s Class of 2025 Top 100 recruiting rankings, respectively. Both were McDonald’s All-Americans.
The freshmen have received plenty of praise already from Staley and their teammates. Both have the ability to score at all three levels and will likely have a bigger role than expected now that there are just 10 healthy players on the roster.
“I just want them to be them,” Staley said Thursday. “ I don’t want to put pressure on them. I think they put enough pressure on themselves. ... They’re super talented. They are confident. They’ve been holding their own like. .... Not very many instances where they look like freshmen.”
3. Post players
A lot has been made of what South Carolina will look like in the post this year without Chloe Kitts and Ashlyn Watkins. Well, on Friday, we’ll all get our first look.
The thought is Edwards and Mississippi State transfer Okot will be the first two forwards out, followed by Maryam Dauda and Adhel Tac.
Okot, who is listed at 6-foot-6, will be getting her first action with the Gamecocks. She averaged 11.3 points and 9.6 rebounds last season and projects to be a key piece alongside Edwards.
Dauda started slow last year but proved she could score and help out on defense. Tac, listed at 6-foot-5, didn’t see substantial playing time during her freshman year, but both her and Dauda are poised for bigger roles out of necessity in 2025-26.
“We’re at a place where, we lose a key piece like Chloe, the system still is intact,” Staley said. “It’s not falling off, we don’t have to change how we’re doing things. We just have to have players to play to their strengths.”
Be on the watch for just how Staley handles the rotation of the four bigs. Who knows? South Carolina could even get creative and go to a four-guard lineup at times to give the post players more rest.
South Carolina WBB vs. Anderson info
- When: Friday, Oct. 24 at 7 p.m.
- Where: Colonial Life Arena
- TV/radio: No TV or radio broadcast, though live stats will be available
- Admission: Free
This story was originally published October 23, 2025 at 3:21 PM.
