Gamecocks grind out key win over Louisville but leave with lingering concern
When the going gets tough, the best teams in any sport find a way to win. South Carolina women’s basketball did just that against Louisville.
Dawn Staley and the No. 3 Gamecocks escaped the KFC Yum! Center with a 79-77 win over the No. 22 Cardinals on Thursday night.
Louisville had the momentum and lead for most of the fourth quarter, but South Carolina was able to take the lead for good with 1:33 left in the game.
“I learned that we do have some resiliency to see it through,” Staley said. “Whether we won or lost this basketball game, it was a great game. We took steps forward. Fortunately for us, we won the game.”
That resiliency was on full display, as South Carolina once again was short-handed on the court but earned its second ranked win of the season.
The Gamecocks had just nine healthy players available in the game. Freshman wing Agot Makeer is in concussion protocol and did not travel with the team.
As a result, South Carolina’s trio of starting guards had to carry the brunt of the load against Louisville. Raven Johnson, Ta’Niya Latson and Tessa Johnson each played 38 minutes (out of a possible 40) in the game.
The three guards played every minute of the first, third and four quarters and combined for 40 points, 16 assists and 12 rebounds. Tessa Johnson led the way with 20 points and seven rebounds.
“We just go with whatever we have out there,” Tessa Johnson said. “We don’t really think about that. And no matter if you’re tired, no one cares at that point.”
Maddy McDaniel and Ayla McDowell — the healthy guards available to come off the bench — played sparingly. McDaniel logged five minutes of action and McDowell played nine minutes.
The three players South Carolina played off the bench against Louisville combined for just four points. None of them played for more than McDowell.
It’s the second consecutive game where South Carolina’s bench recorded under five points. The Gamecocks scored just two points off the bench in last week’s loss to Texas.
The lack of bench production is a stark contrast from a South Carolina team that led the nation last year with 40.3 bench points per game. Granted, replicating that production wasn’t realistic. Most of the bench producers from last year’s team have moved into the starting lineup or are no longer with the team.
Staley said there was only one point in the fourth quarter where she felt her starting guards looked winded and she considered calling a timeout. Luckily for the Gamecocks, Louisville challenged an out-of-bounds call, allowing USC players a breather and saving a timeout.
“You look at them and you say, do we give someone a blow here or there? I thought we did a pretty good job in the first half,” Staley said. “Second half, we didn’t feel strong enough to just sub them out. They had good chemistry. They were playing well together, but we did get our bigs out of the rotation. Proud of Ayla for coming in and giving us some really great minutes.”
To Staley’s point, South Carolina did find a way to get Madina Okot and Joyce Edwards some rest here and there. Okot — who recorded a 23 point, 13 rebound double-double — played 33 minutes and Edwards played 35.
Adhel Tac was the only post player to get playing time off the bench. She saw the court for one minute. Maryam Dauda did not play.
South Carolina’s starting guards will continue to play “heavy minutes” this season while the Gamecocks work to develop their bench players, Staley said. While the comment was made in reference to South Carolina’s guards, it’s a statement that rings true for forwards, too.
Still, developing the players South Carolina has at its disposal on the bench will be important as the season progresses. Staley said as much earlier in the week.
“We’ve got to grow, got to develop our bench,” Staley said Wednesday. “We can’t go a whole season playing six or seven [players]. We got to be able to get to eight or nine comfortably. And the only way that you’re gonna do that is put them out there.”
This story was originally published December 5, 2025 at 8:00 AM.
