Analysis

The Greenville News/USA TODAY Network • 24th April 2026

How Oliviyah Edwards will get playing time on Dawn Staley's loaded South Carolina roster

COLUMBIA — South Carolina women's basketball coach Dawn Staley got a late but big addition in five-star 6-foot-3 forward Oliviyah Edwards.Staley lost zero players to the transfer portal, brought in Jordan Lee from Texas on April 17 and had three five-star high school recruits already signed from the 2026 class. Then she capped off her roster construction with the No. 3 recruit in the Class of 2026 on April 23.Edwards committed to Tennessee in September and also had been recruited by Staley. Edwa...

The Greenville News/USA TODAY Network • 23rd April 2026

Where Dawn Staley, South Carolina need to improve after two straight title game losses

COLUMBIA — The memories of missing open shots will likely stick with South Carolina women's basketball for awhile.In the national championship against UCLA, the usually-efficient Gamecocks' offense just couldn't score.It's potentially misleading however that the 79-51 loss was the final display of coach Dawn Staley's 2025-26 team. The same group that shot 16.7% in the first quarter in the title game finished with the best offense in program history, averaging 85.6 points, which was fourth in nat...

The Greenville News/USA TODAY Network • 21st April 2026

Dawn Staley, South Carolina only SEC team that didn't lose player to transfer portal

COLUMBIA — One year ago arguably the biggest women's basketball transfer portal news came out of South Carolina.

Dawn Staley lost star guard MiLaysia Fulwiley, who transferred to LSU, right after bringing in Ta'Niya Latson, who led the nation in scoring at Florida State the season before.

A year later, it's a whole different story.

The Gamecocks are the only women's SEC team to not lose a player to the portal and per On3, one of 14 NCAA women's basketball teams with no players in the portal....

The Greenville News/USA TODAY Network • 17th April 2026

How Dawn Staley found a perfect fit in Jordan Lee, No. 2 player in portal

COLUMBIA — South Carolina women's basketball finished the season with the fourth-best scoring offense in the nation.And a large part of that was because coach Dawn Staley secured Ta'Niya Latson out of the transfer portal last spring.Latson was second on the team in scoring, averaging 14.1 points, but now she's in the WNBA. So Staley went to work in the portal once again, securing Texas' Jordan Lee, who was ranked as the No. 2 transfer in the 2026 cycle by ESPN.Lee, a 6-foot guard, will be a juni...

The Greenville News/USA TODAY Network • 15th April 2026

What Shane Beamer asked LaNorris Sellers to improve and how it's gone so far

COLUMBIA — In the transfer portal era, it's rare to see a quarterback spend three full seasons with the same coach. But LaNorris Sellers just finished his fourth spring practice with South Carolina football coach Shane Beamer.

Sellers had the option to declare for the 2026 NFL Draft, stay with the Gamecocks, who went 4-8 last year, or try to find a new college team. He stayed put and there's no denying this year is critical for both Sellers, now a third-year starter, and Beamer.

Beamer said Se...

The Greenville News/USA TODAY Network • 2nd April 2026

Why South Carolina freshman Agot Makeer is getting so much attention at Final Four

PHOENIX — ESPN analyst Andraya Carter remembers seeing South Carolina women's basketball freshman Agot Makeer play defense against Texas star Madison Booker.

On Jan. 15, Makeer played a huge role in South Carolina's 68-65 victory. Carter saw the young player with energy, an edge and almost a chip on her shoulder. And since then, she's only grown into a bigger role for Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley.

"We got to talk to Agot and she's like, 'I expect to play this way' and we talked about her (Elite...

The Greenville News/USA TODAY Network • 22nd March 2026

How South Carolina's Dawn Staley helped UCLA star Lauren Betts in mental health journey

COLUMBIA — UCLA women's basketball star Lauren Betts published a story in The Players' Tribune, opening up about her mental health journey the last few years.In the story, she thanked South Carolina women's basketball coach Dawn Staley."Dawn Staley, she spoke to my mom a little bit while everything was going on as well. And I don’t think a lot of people know that. She’s been really amazing to me and my family through my entire basketball career," Betts wrote March 19.Betts, 6-foot-7 and one of t...

The Greenville News/USA TODAY Network • 20th March 2026

Why meeting Dawn Staley meant so much to Southern: 'I kept going back for more hugs'

COLUMBIA — Just because a team wants to beat its March Madness opponent, doesn't mean it can't show respect.South Carolina women's basketball and Southern are proof that competitiveness sometimes even heightens admiration.The No. 1 seed Gamecocks (31-3) are hosting the No. 16 seed Jaguars (20-13) on March 21 (1 p.m. ET, ABC).Southern beat Samford in a First Four game March 19, and South Carolina coach Dawn Staley spoke to both teams once they got to Columbia.Staley said a few of the Southern pla...

The Greenville News/USA TODAY Network • 19th March 2026

Why South Carolina star Joyce Edwards is unlikely to repeat March Madness slump

COLUMBIA — Bree Hall got just one season with Joyce Edwards but it was enough to know that the 6-foot-3 forward would greatly benefit South Carolina women's basketball in the future.

After UConn's dominant 82-59 national championship win over South Carolina last April, Hall, then a senior, was asked what she learned about Edwards, who had just finished her first Women's NCAA Tournament as a freshman.

"She's an incredible player," Hall said. "She's going to come back for more, it's not over for...

The Greenville News/USA TODAY Network • 2nd March 2026

Did Shane Beamer make South Carolina football better? Grading 2026 offseason moves

COLUMBIA — South Carolina football coach Shane Beamer's staff and roster look a lot different now than it did three months ago.

The Gamecocks went 4-8 in 2025 and Beamer fired two coaches amid his worst season in Columbia, then had more staff changes throughout December.

South Carolina also used the transfer portal to rebuild at critical positions.

Spring practice begins on March 4 for the Gamecocks. Before they start practice, here's how we graded South Carolina's notable offseason decisions...

The Greenville News/USA TODAY Network • 19th February 2026

How Shane Beamer changed South Carolina football roster at almost every position in portal

COLUMBIA — South Carolina football coach Shane Beamer heavily utilized the transfer portal to rebuild his roster for 2026.South Carolina added 25 players via the portal, and the class ranks No. 22 nationally and No. 10 in the SEC, according to 247Sports.The Gamecocks went 4-8 in 2025, the worst in Beamer's five seasons after going 9-3 (the best) in 2024.Beamer returned his star trio of quarterback LaNorris Sellers, wide receiver Nyck Harbor and edge rusher Dylan Stewart.Here's a look at how the...

The Greenville News/USA TODAY Network • 6th February 2026

What South Carolina's guard injuries mean for Dawn Staley with Tennessee, LSU next

COLUMBIA — South Carolina women's basketball finished with only eight players in its 88-45 win over Mississippi State on Feb. 5 in Colonial Life Arena.The No. 3 Gamecocks (23-2, 9-1 SEC) have been bitten by the injury bug since September, losing star forward Chloe Kitts to an ACL tear before the season, then battling various injuries throughout non-conference play.

COLUMBIA — South Carolina women's basketball finished with only eight players in its 88-45 win over Mississippi State on Feb. 5 in...

The Greenville News/USA TODAY Network • 28th January 2026

South Carolina sophomore Joyce Edwards is in A'ja Wilson territory. Comparing the numbers

COLUMBIA — Joyce Edwards scored 143 points across six games in December.

After a career-high 34 against USF on Dec. 18 when Edwards shot 14-of-15 from the field in South Carolina women's basketball's road victory, coach Dawn Staley said it was a preview of what her sophomore forward can do.

"Joyce isn't just a scorer, she's a play-maker," Staley said. "She can make the play that's supposed to be made and sometimes you got to force her to do those things because she's so locked in to playing ad...

The Greenville News/USA TODAY Network • 16th October 2025

Can new South Carolina OL coach protect LaNorris Sellers better vs Oklahoma, nation's No. 1 defense?

COLUMBIA — LaNorris Sellers hasn't been fully protected by South Carolina football's offensive line in the 2025 season.The quarterback has been sacked 19 times, No. 2 in SEC and seventh in the FBS. Five came in the 20-10 loss to LSU for a loss of 55 yards, then 24 hours later, coach Shane Beamer fired offensive line coach Lonnie Teasley.Sellers has been pressured on 75 dropbacks, which is second in the SEC and highest in the conference among quarterbacks with at least 106 total dropbacks this se...