Cliney to miss several weeks with hand injury
South Carolina didn’t make it to the first game before the first two injuries.
Redshirt freshman guard Doniyah Cliney injured her hand in practice and will miss several weeks, USC announced on Friday. Cliney, a guard from New Jersey who can play all three spots and was going to be counted on this year, will have to extend her USC debut a little longer after having surgery.
She joins Tiffany Davis, a junior who recently underwent knee surgery and will sit out the season, on the Gamecocks’ bench.
“(Cliney) was going to be great for us,” coach Dawn Staley said on Thursday.
Cliney received an initial eligibility waiver from the NCAA last year, allowing her to practice during the spring semester but not play. She worked on her academics in the fall and helped the Gamecocks prepare for what became a Final Four run in the spring with an eye on competing for a guard spot this year.
Hailing from the same high school as former Gamecock Ebony Wilson, Cliney won state championships in her final two seasons. She averaged 13.4 points and 5.2 rebounds as a senior.
Last year counted as her redshirt year so Cliney still has four years of eligibility. She could return in the spring.
This story was originally published November 6, 2015 at 10:42 AM with the headline "Cliney to miss several weeks with hand injury."