South Carolina women's basketball season preview 2025-26: How does Dawn Staley's roster shape up following MiLaysia Fulwiley transfer?
South Carolina coach Dawn Staley has built her program on defense. Over the last two seasons, South Carolina won a title and reached a second national title game largely on the strength of aggressive, tenacious and downright sticky defense. But a funny thing happened in UConn's 82-59 thumping of South Carolina in the NCAA title game. The defense just wasn't enough.
It's not entirely clear whether that realization drove the South Carolina offseason or the Gamecocks offense evolved out of independent events following that script. But defensive standout MiLaysia Fulwiley, who was up-and-down offensively, decided to transfer out of South Carolina. Staley replaced her not with a lockdown defender, but with the nation's top returning scorer.
Here's an idea of what to watch for from the Gamecocks in the 2025-26 season.
South Carolina 2025-26 women's hoops preview
The key to this team seems to be balance. Faced with a gaping hole in her roster, South Carolina coach Dawn Staley added a scorer, and not just any scorer, but the nation's top returning scorer in Ta'Niya Latson from Florida State. Latson scored 2,095 points in three seasons at FSU and the second-team All-American will be an offensive upgrade with her 25.2 scoring average.
Latson also played with returning USC point guard Raven Johnson in high school, which should help minimize any chemistry concerns. Add those two to top returning scorer Joyce Edwards, who tallied 12.7 points and 5.0 rebounds per game in her freshman season. Do-everything forward Chloe Kitts will also be back, with her 10.2 points and 7.7 boards per game.
That would seem to leave a hole in the middle where Sania Feagin is now in the WNBA. Enter the portal again, and Mississippi State center Madina Okot is an immediate difference maker. As a freshman at MSU, Okot averaged 11.3 points and 9.6 rebounds per game. She's cast in the Kamilla Cardoso role as a dominant post-presence at center.
Starting Lineup
Guards: Raven Johnson, Ta'Niya Latson
Forwards: Joyce Edwards, Chloe Kitts
Center: Madina Okot
Rotation Players
Among the other major returnees are injured forward Ashlyn Watkins, who seemed on pace to play a significant role before injury ended her season and solid guard Tessa Johnson. Both of those players will be quality rotation players, at the least.
In case that wasn't enough talent, Staley didn't exactly sleep through high school recruiting season. Canadian combo guard Akot Makeer is a 6-foot-1 dynamo ranked by 247sports as the nation's No. 4 overall player in the 2025-26 recruiting class. Power forward Ayla McDowell is a 6-foot-2 talent who ranked in the top 30 nationally in her class.
Impact Players
There's a ton of talent at Carolina, but then, there always is. But the additions of Latson and Okot give Carolina a couple of wrinkles the school hasn't previously enjoyed. Latson is a scorer who can create her shot and personally avoid offensive droughts. Okot feels like Cardoso 2.0, giving Carolina a massive post presence that was lacking last season.
Ultimately, the transfer of MiLaysia Fulwiley to LSU might end up being a positive for South Carolina. Dawn Staley has used the opportunity to revamp her team. This South Carolina team, while different, looks pretty imposing. A sixth straight Final Four could be in the works for South Carolina.
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