With a rematch against the only team to beat them this season looming, Dawn Staley delivered the news South Carolina needed most.

Ahead of Thursday night’s SEC showdown against No. 4 Texas Longhorns, the Hall of Fame coach confirmed that freshman forward Alicia Tournebize will make her debut. For a South Carolina Gamecocks team navigating injuries and an increasingly thin frontcourt, the timing could not be more significant.

“She will definitely play,” Staley said Wednesday, putting to rest any uncertainty just hours before a matchup loaded with both revenge and conference stakes.

Tournebize’s arrival has been a race against the clock. The 6-foot-7 French forward signed just before Christmas and arrived in Columbia on New Year’s Day, giving her roughly two weeks to acclimate to Staley’s system.

Despite the short runway, her résumé suggests she may be ready sooner than expected. Tournebize previously played professionally in France and was a standout at the U18 EuroBasket, where she averaged 12.1 points and 8.9 rebounds for the French national team. Her combination of size, shooting range, and defensive versatility addresses a glaring need for South Carolina, which has been forced to shorten its rotation due to frontcourt injuries.

Sophomore Joyce Edwards believes the learning curve will not be an issue.

“She’s smart, she picks things up quickly,” Edwards said Wednesday. “Her defense is great, and she can shoot and space the floor. Nobody’s really played against her yet, so that’s going to be tough to prepare for.”

That versatility is exactly what makes Tournebize’s debut both intriguing and risky. Facing a physical Texas team in her first college game will immediately test whether her international experience can translate at the SEC level.

Depth Issues Put the Spotlight on the Paint

Tournebize’s debut also highlights South Carolina’s larger challenge this season: depth. Last year, the Gamecocks led the nation in bench scoring at 40.3 points per game. This season, that number has dropped to just 17.1 points per night, ranking near the bottom nationally.

As a result, every starter is scoring in double figures, but relying that heavily on the starting five is not sustainable over a full SEC slate.

The battle in the paint will likely decide Thursday’s game. In their November loss to Texas, South Carolina struggled to convert around the rim, an issue that has lingered. Joyce Edwards and Madina Okot bring energy and physicality, but both have been inconsistent finishing through contact.

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South Carolina’s best opportunity may come when Texas center Kyla Oldacre is off the floor. Tournebize’s presence could allow Staley to maintain size and spacing without sacrificing defensive integrity something the Gamecocks have struggled to do with their current bench rotation.

History suggests South Carolina knows how to respond in moments like this. Staley holds a 16–5 career record against Texas head coach Vic Schaefer, a reminder that preparation and adaptability have consistently tilted in her favor.

Still, execution will decide this one. Zuby Ejiofor currently leads the team in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks an unsustainable workload if South Carolina hopes to make a deep postseason run.

Tournebize’s debut may not solve everything overnight, but it gives the Gamecocks a new dimension at exactly the moment they need it most. Thursday night will quickly reveal whether that addition is a short-term boost or the missing piece in South Carolina’s pursuit of another championship run.