South Carolina women's basketball: Dawn Staley updates injuries

Dawn Staley provided an update on injured guards Maddy McDaniel and Agot Makeer ahead of Tuesday’s rivalry game against Clemson.

McDaniel did not practice and is not expected to play Tuesday night. Makeer practiced and is likely to play.

“Gotti got it in a little bit today. Maddy no, probably not,” Staley said. “Just rehabbing.”

McDaniel played eight minutes in the season opener against Grand Canyon. She had three points and two assists in her limited playing time.

McDaniel left the game with 4:04 left in the first half. She banged knees with a Grand Canyon player who was setting a screen and crumpled to the court. She stayed down for a couple of minutes before being helped to the locker room by Staley and trainer Craig Oates.

McDaniel warmed up and was in uniform against Bowling Green, but did not play. Staley said they wouldn’t have played her even in an emergency.

“We wouldn’t have played her, no,” Staley said. “But (we’re) loading her up, trying to see how it responds after just doing probably a little bit more than she’s done in a couple days.”

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McDaniel averaged 3.1 points and 1.7 assists last season. She was one of the surprises of the first half of the season, arguably outplaying Raven Johnson for the first couple of months. That included seven points in 13 minutes at Clemson.

Makeer was in the midst of a breakout performance against Bowling Green when an opponent appeared to step on her foot late in the third quarter. Makeer stayed in to shoot free throws, but then went straight to the locker room and did not return to the bench. 

The only update Staley had after the game was that Makeer was not crying, “So that’s good.”

Makeer had 12 points and three rebounds when she exited. Through two games, she is averaging 8.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks. 

South Carolina’s roster is already injury-depleted. Ashlyn Watkins is sitting out the season after tearing her ACL in January. Chloe Kitts tore her ACL in October and is out for the season. That leaves South Carolina with just 10 players, meaning every bump or bruise is critical.

South Carolina hosts Clemson on Tuesday night. Then the Gamecocks travel to California for a neutral-site game against Southern Cal in Los Angeles on November 15.

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