These Gamecocks stepped up when two starters couldn’t go in USC win over Auburn
Dawn Staley and the No. 3 Gamecocks may have shellacked Auburn for an 81-51 road win on Thursday, but South Carolina didn’t emerge completely unscathed.
The Gamecocks finished the game without starting guards Agot Makeer and Ta’Niya Latson . Makeer exited the game early in the first quarter, and Latson didn’t play the entire second half.
Staley didn’t say exactly what was wrong with either player, but did say Makeer was in pain and would be further evaluated once the team returned to Columbia. Latson was held out because she was “not feeling well.”
With both Latson and Makeer out, Staley and the Gamecocks turned to a pair of young bench guards. Both sophomore Maddy McDaniel and freshman Ayla McDowell gave South Carolina valuable minutes off the bench in the win.
“(Latson’s) teammates stepped up in a big way and filled the void of not having her and (Makeer),” Staley said.
McDaniel was the first player off the bench for South Carolina and took over after Makeer left the game at the 6:18 mark in the first quarter. She immediately logged a steal and a bucket after checking in. McDaniel played 10 minutes in the first half and scored all nine of her points (one shy of tying a career-high) in that time.
“I was just feeling good,” McDaniel said. “Like Coach talks about, coming off the bench, just making an impact. So that’s what my focus is. Just checking into the game and instantly trying to make an impact.”
In the second half, McDaniel was one of the first five Gamecocks out on the court. She was alongside Raven Johnson, Tessa Johnson, Joyce Edwards and Madina Okot. With Latson and Makeer out in the second half, Staley had to use some new-look lineups .
“I think it has been good just to show how we could be a versatile team,” McDaniel said. “Compared to teams in previous years, I just think that we show something different. I just think that my role, controlling the second unit has been a little bit different now that (Makeer) has moved to the first unit. So in practice, we’re just working, trying to work with just two guards and three bigs, or vice versa, three guards and two bigs.”
Staley credited McDaniel for her ability to conduct the team when those lineups were on the floor.
“Maddy ran the show,” Staley said. “Maddy managed the game. Maddy got players who have not played together in practice, played in the game together at the end of that game, all on one accord. Then earlier in the game, she came in and I just thought she elevated our play on both sides of the basketball.”
McDaniel ended the night with a team-high 28 minutes played. Her six assists and four steals led the team against Auburn and tied her career highs in both categories. McDaniel was averaging 3.8 points coming into the Auburn game, but her performance off the bench has earned her a few more minutes in SEC play.
“She is young, but she’s starting to mature and doing the things that we need point guards to do: score, facilitate, play-make, organize us,” Staley said. “She did all those things tonight, and I’m proud of her.”
McDowell also stepped up in Makeer and Latson’s absence. The freshman hasn’t played a lot in SEC play (she entered the game averaging 11.8 minutes) but logged 24 minutes against Auburn, the most in a conference contest of her career .
“We know what we’re getting from Ayla,” Staley said. “Ayla is going to give 110%, she’s going to give multiple efforts, she’s going to knock down shots. For her, she just needs opportunity. We have a back court that has a lot of bodies. Some of those bodies weren’t able to play the second half, she stepped in and she gave us what she absolutely always gives us.”
McDowell finished with eight points that included a pair of 3-pointers. McDowell logged three steals and two rebounds. Both McDaniel and Staley credited McDowell for her tough attitude after the game.
“I told her, she’s probably one of the most mentally strong individuals in that locker room,” Staley said. “She doesn’t know what she’s gonna play, but when she does get out there, she gives the same effort, maximum effort, all the time. So if we don’t have some of our starters, I’m not second-guessing whether or not we put her in the basketball game, because she’ll be ready.”
This story was originally published January 30, 2026 at 8:46 AM.
