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South Carolina women's basketball: The 3-2-1 - Clutch players, burning Questions, and a favorite play from last week

On3 imageby: Chris Wellbaum2 hours agoChrisWellbaum

Last week, South Carolina survived at Louisville and then handled NC Central. Here are the clutch players, burning questions, and a favorite play heading into exam week.

Three Clutch Players

Madina Okot
at Louisville: 33 minutes*, 23 points, 13 rebounds, 2 assists
vs NC Central: 11 minutes*, 10 points, 9 rebounds, assist, steal, block

Okot saved South Carolina’s bacon against Louisville. She was unstoppable in the fourth quarter, scoring six consecutive points as the Gamecocks turned a deficit into a lead. Okot struggled with an illness on Sunday and only played 11 minutes, but she still finished one rebound short of a double-double.

Raven Johnson
at Louisville: 38 minutes*, 11 points, 8 assists, 4 rebounds, block
vs NC Central: 29 minutes*, 7 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds, 6 steals, block

Johnson continues to play point guard masterfully. She’s spreading the ball around to her teammates, leading the defense, and picking the right time to look for her own shot.

Ayla McDowell
at Louisville: 8 minutes, 3 points, 2 rebounds, assist
vs NC Central: 27 minutes, 16 points, 2 rebounds

McDowell was practically the only reserve Dawn Staley had at her disposal last week. She performed well, particularly in her career game against NC Central. Staley is starting to trust the freshman to play more.

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Two Burning Questions

1. Will the Gamecocks ever be fully healthy?

It kind of feels like the 2021-22 season, when it seemed like someone was hurt for almost every game. That season turned out okay, even if the style points were lacking. The bug going through the team is one of those things that happens, and Agot Makeer has another week to recover from her concussion. The main objective is to be healthy for 2026, when SEC play starts.

2. Are the Gamecocks still improving?

That is the big, Final Four-sized question. Like in 2021, it’s hard to see how much South Carolina is improving because they always have to overcome someone’s absence. Every time an individual makes progress, she seems to take a step back in the next game because the focus has shifted. Fortunately, South Carolina only has four games the rest of the month (and all should be easy wins) before the SEC grind begins.

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One Favorite Play

Raven Johnson’s layup in the waning seconds against Louisville was perfection. Madina Okot and Tessa Johnson did most of the work in that game, but Raven clinched it. She dribbled out the shot clock and then drove to the rim, using her long arm to reach around the defender and bank in the finger roll. The score put South Carolina up three, and that was enough for the Gamecocks to hold on. 

NEW! Message board for South Carolina Women’s Basketball!