Gamecocks 2025-2026 Season | Page 31 | The Boneyard

Gamecocks 2025-2026 Season

visitingcock said:
We are better than we were after Ashlyn’s injury. We are not better than we were before. She is an elite defender. Hope she comes back next year
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Ashlyn brought defense and rebounding, but was a marginal offensive big. Okot is a much better all around player, in my opinion.

I hope she (Watkins) returns, too, but the longer she’s away, the less likely she’ll be back. We’ll be losing Raven, Okot, Latson, and Dauda. Getting Kitts and Watkins back would be nice, and if we can attract a quality big from the portal, that would help, too. There will be opportunities for Tac and Tournebize to get increased minutes, depending on their continued development in the off-season.
 
USMC(ret) said:
Ashlyn brought defense and rebounding, but was a marginal offensive big. Okot is a much better all around player, in my opinion.

I hope she (Watkins) returns, too, but the longer she’s away, the less likely she’ll be back. We’ll be losing Raven, Okot, Latson, and Dauda. Getting Kitts and Watkins back would be nice, and if we can attract a quality big from the portal, that would help, too. There will be opportunities for Tac and Tournebize to get increased minutes, depending on their continued development in the off-season.
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If memory serves, she's taking this academic year to rehab and will be back next season. If she tried to come back this season, she'd just about be at the 1 year mark. Looking at Miles and Fudd, players are taking more time these days to ensure they are as fit as possible.
 
BRS24 said:
If memory serves, she's taking this academic year to rehab and will be back next season. If she tried to come back this season, she'd just about be at the 1 year mark. Looking at Miles and Fudd, players are taking more time these days to ensure they are as fit as possible.
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That is what was announced but it might not turn out to be true. She has not been enrolled in school or working out with the team, hiding from the press too . I have no doubt about Chloe but Ashlyn worries me.
 
My curiosity was raised when she stayed away from the team. I mean, Chloe has been a constant presence on the bench during her rehab. And why would she not continue to make progress academically while in rehab?

Makes me think that it’s connected to her criminal charges being dismissed last year. Maybe part of that deal was her staying away from the campus for a certain length of time. No way for us to know, but at some point one of three things will happen: she’ll be back on the team, she’ll be in the portal, or she’ll be done with hoops forever.

I wish her the best, whichever path she takes. If she needs help, I hope she gets it. No such thing as a “throw away” player in Dawn’s world.
 
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Ashlyn could certainly enter the draft or go to Europe. Both are risky. First, we have the ongoing CBA negotiations in the WNBA that are becoming a bit more contentious in recent days (with the owners and players still quite a ways apart). Second, I don't see a top flight European team shelling out money for a player coming off an injury, with zero WNBA experience, and lacking a few major accomplishments (All-American, NPOY, NDPOY, etc.). I can't see her wanting to jet off to Poland to play for seven months.

Her best bet is to return to college SOMEWHERE, even if it's not South Carolina. Just don't go to that purple and orange hell hole, Ash.
 
USMC(ret) said:
My curiosity was raised when she stayed away from the team. I mean, Chloe has been a constant presence on the bench during her rehab. And why would she not continue to make progress academically while in rehab?

Makes me think that it’s connected to her criminal charges being dismissed last year. Maybe part of that deal was her staying away from the campus for a certain length of time. No way for us to know, but at some point one of three things will happen: she’ll be back on the team, she’ll be in the portal, or she’ll be done with hoops forever.

I wish her the best, whichever path she takes. If she needs help, I hope she gets it. No such thing as a “throw away” player in Dawn’s world.
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No, she was on the team last year.

I think the incident, plus playing time, plus injury was a whole lot for her.

Whether she still wants to play, I don't know.
 
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USMC(ret) said:
Two questions: 1) Are we improved over last year’s Gamecock team, and if the answer is yes, 2) Could we give UConn a more competitive game this year? Because last year’s team got boatraced twice by the Huskies.

I believe we are better than last year’s version. Raven, our only returning starter, is having the best season of her career. Joyce and Tessa, starters this year who came off the bench last year, are both improved over last year. Okot and Latson were significant talent additions, and have proven their value over the course of the season (both may be first round WNBA draft selections later this spring.

But if we can return to the Final Four, and UConn does, too, have we closed the gap? The answer lies with our inside game… Joyce and Madina. Without strong, effective efforts down low from both, we’re not going to earn another ring.
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1. Overall I think yes the team is improved compared to a year ago. Last year the team's chemistry just seemed a bit off as almost everyone had a worse season compared to the 2023-24 year. This squad has some flaws but seems more well rounded. I'd rank SC's teams the last 5 years as:
1. 2023-24 (Undefeated Champions)
2. 2022-23 (Lost in Final Four to Iowa, was undefeated)
3. 2021-22 (Champions, lost 2 games)
4. 2025-26 (2 losses right now)
5. 2024-25 (Runner up)

2. Yes I think it'd be a much more competitive game vs. UCONN. UCONN played 2 of its 3 best games vs. South Carolina last year and South Carolina didn't play well either time. If UCONN had an average day and South Carolina played some of its better basketball the game would've been significantly closer, though I'm not going to sit here and argue that they could've beat UCONN on a better day since the Huskies were basically 30 points better in both matchups. Overall UCONN was well built to beat last year's SC team since they had an unbelievably good big 3 when they all were playing well.

The biggest question for this year's South Carolina team is who can be the reliable go to player in big games? I thought it would be Edwards but she's largely struggled against better teams on the schedule and I don't think she's ready to take over the go to role yet. Latson too has been relatively flat against the better teams. Others like Tessa/Raven/Okot are stellar players who do their job well but I don't think their skillsets make them ideal options to be the go to player. If South Carolina is going to compete with UCONN, they really need both Edwards and Latson to step up and play well.
 
bballnut90 said:
1. Overall I think yes the team is improved compared to a year ago. Last year the team's chemistry just seemed a bit off as almost everyone had a worse season compared to the 2023-24 year. This squad has some flaws but seems more well rounded. I'd rank SC's teams the last 5 years as:
1. 2023-24 (Undefeated Champions)
2. 2022-23 (Lost in Final Four to Iowa, was undefeated)
3. 2021-22 (Champions, lost 2 games)
4. 2025-26 (2 losses right now)
5. 2024-25 (Runner up)

2. Yes I think it'd be a much more competitive game vs. UCONN. UCONN played 2 of its 3 best games vs. South Carolina last year and South Carolina didn't play well either time. If UCONN had an average day and South Carolina played some of its better basketball the game would've been significantly closer, though I'm not going to sit here and argue that they could've beat UCONN on a better day since the Huskies were basically 30 points better in both matchups. Overall UCONN was well built to beat last year's SC team since they had an unbelievably good big 3 when they all were playing well.

The biggest question for this year's South Carolina team is who can be the reliable go to player in big games? I thought it would be Edwards but she's largely struggled against better teams on the schedule and I don't think she's ready to take over the go to role yet. Latson too has been relatively flat against the better teams. Others like Tessa/Raven/Okot are stellar players who do their job well but I don't think their skillsets make them ideal options to be the go to player. If South Carolina is going to compete with UCONN, they really need both Edwards and Latson to step up and play well.
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South Carolina tried to play UCONN's game in both contest last year. You can't do that. You have to play your game and not let them play their game. It sounds easy when you say it but it's not... but...that is what needs to happen to beat UCONN. I think this team will be more disciplined and it should be a much harder game for UCONN. If they even get to meet this year in the tournament.
 
jumpstart said:
South Carolina tried to play UCONN's game in both contest last year. You can't do that. You have to play your game and not let them play their game. It sounds easy when you say it but it's not... but...that is what needs to happen to beat UCONN. I think this team will be more disciplined and it should be a much harder game for UCONN. If they even get to meet this year in the tournament.
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You said that we would lose to LSU.
 
visitingcock said:
If s/he did, why are you replying to a different post from her/him?
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Because they're making another prediction even though the first one didn't go so well?

There are plenty of threads on this message board for this person to make anti-SC predictions. They don't have to keep doing it on this one.
 
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jumpstart said:
I said I would be surprised but not shocked if South Carolina won. If you are going to say it... say it right.
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You said that you were "leaning LSU" and that the analytics backed you up on that. You also said that there were "too many [factors] to overcome" for South Carolina to win.

To me, that clearly sounds like you picked LSU.
 
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I don't mind them but it definitely feels like an edgy intern at UA designed them. Since we're moving to Nike in 3-4 months, I have a feeling they were just checking a checkbox on the UA contract.
 
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