Dawn Staley’s South Carolina Gamecocks are off to a strong start this season, but the team is already navigating unexpected hurdles. The Gamecocks added another win in their bag after a 65-37 win over Clemson on November 11, but the team had to battle fatigue and limited depth, as Sophomore guard Maddy McDaniel was suspended just a few hours before the game.

While Staley has refused to reveal the reason behind McDaniel’s suspension, she offered a brief update in a post-game interview. When asked if McDaniel would play in the next game, Staley simply said, “I doubt it.” Pressed on whether the sophomore would return this season, the coach added, “That’s on her. We’ll evaluate it every day.”

McDaniel, a 5-foot-9 guard from Upper Marlboro, Maryland, was the No. 14 recruit in the 2024 class and showed flashes of scoring and playmaking potential as a freshman, averaging 3.1 points in limited minutes. Even during the season opener of the 2025-26 NCAA season, she suffered an injury due to “knee to knee” contact, making her sidelined from the game against Bowling Green.

With the sophomore poised to take on a more significant bench role this season, her absence left the Gamecocks with just nine active players in their game against the Clemson Tigers. The players were so stretched that at one point they nearly went eight minutes without a field goal in the third quarter, allowing the Tigers to cut into the deficit.

However, while they may have won this game, it might not be easy for them on November 15th against the No.8-ranked USC Trojans. Without McDaniel, the team has to dig deep and rely on its remaining players to maintain momentum and continue their unbeaten start to the season.

What’s next for Dawn Staley-led Gamecocks?

With three matches so far in the season, the Gamecocks have won all of them, with an average score difference of 45 points per game. Out of these games, Maddy McDaniel only played in the first game against the Grand Canyon Lopes, where she dropped eight points and had two assists in eight minutes before she had to leave the game.

The team is already missing reigning SEC tournament MVP Chloe Kitts (torn ACL) and Ashlyn Watkins, who is taking time off after an ACL injury in January. But the team can’t stop if they aim to win the championship.

Without their key players, senior guards Ta’Niya Latson and Raven Johnson have taken the torch to lead the Gamecocks. Together, the duo is averaging 29.5 points, 9 rebounds, and 13 assists per game, giving the Gamecocks the much-needed fire to carry on as the season moves forward.

As they gear up to play their upcoming games, fans will keep their eye on the Gamecocks to see how they will guide themselves out of this quicksand.