South Carolina women's basketball shows resiliency in back-to-back close games

South Carolina women’s basketball over its last two games found itself in two tense battles away from Colonial Life Arena. The Gamecocks split those contests, falling by two to No. 2 Texas in Las Vegas and defeating No. 22 Louisville by three at the Cardinals’ home arena.

For most programs, keeping it close against a top-five opponent you’ll see again and getting a road win over a top-25 opponent is great. For Dawn Staley’s program, however, uneasiness among the fanbase can arise.

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The reasoning mainly comes with the high expectations that Staley and the Gamecocks have earned over the past decade. It is not often fans are treated to back-to-back one-possession games.

During the 2025 NCAA Tournament, South Carolina had back-to-back four-point wins in Birmingham, AL, during the Sweet 16 against Maryland and Elite Eight against Duke. Additionally, the Gamecocks’ last time had back-to-back regular-season games decided by four points or less came in December 2021. Those games featured a four-point win over Stanford and a one-point loss to Missouri.

However, the last time South Carolina had back-to-back regular-season games decided by one possession was November 2015, following a 68-65 win at UCLA and a 60-58 win over Arizona State in Hawaii.

A decade later, this recent set of back-to-back close games has shown Staley that her 2025-26 squad is resilient.

“You know, whether we won or lost this basketball game, it’s a great game. We took steps forward. Fortunately for us, we won the game,” Staley said.

That resiliency is most important for a team that, according to Staley, is still finding its identity. The Gamecocks returned only three players who averaged more than 15 minutes in the 2024-24 season.

“This isn’t a team we’ve had for years,” Staley said on Dec. 3 after Texas. ” … Our defense has got to get better. Just defensive breakdowns. All the stuff that you can point to and just say, ‘Hey, you can’t really be upset.’ Because you can point to the things, it wasn’t effort, it was more of execution of what we needed to be executed.”

It’s an entire new starting five for the Gamecocks. The only returner from South Carolina’s starting lineup in 2024-25 is Raven Johnson.

“We’re trying to find chemistry,” Johnson said. “I think we’re doing a really good job. Playing through the high of the highs, and the low through the lows. We’re going to get better each game, so I’m very proud of this team.”

If there’s one thing Johnson’s learned about this team over the early stretch of the season, it’s that they fight.

“We dig deep, we trust one another through the good or through the bad. I think that’s what you need when you play games like this,” Johnson said. “Coach Staley is not going to let us take the foot off the pedal.”

The Gamecocks will have to find that permanent identity with a group of 10 throughout the season. South Carolina’s lack of depth has led to its starters carrying a bulk of the minutes night in and night out.

The Gamecocks’ main five average between 26 and 32 minutes a game, with Tessa Johnson leading the way in minutes per game. Staley said the group should expect it to stay that way until its bench can develop.

“I mean, I thought maybe once in the fourth quarter, they looked really winded. And fortunately for us, I think [Jeff Walz] challenged an out-of-bounds score,” Staley said. ” … So, yeah, I mean, you look at them, and you see, do we give someone a blow here or there? And I thought we did a pretty good job in the first half. Second half, we didn’t feel strong enough to just sub them out.”

While her second rotation still needs time to cook in the coop, Staley found time to shout out freshman Ayla McDowell for the minutes she provided off the bench against Louisville.

Staley said it’s great that the team was able to come into a hostile road environment and walk out with a win.

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