On Sunday, the South Carolina Gamecocks made a thundering comeback after a back-and-forth defeat to the Oklahoma Sooners last week. Dawn Staley’s side eased past No. 5 Vanderbilt 103-74 to get back into winning ways ahead of the Auburn game on the road. Several players shouldered the Gamecocks in the game, but one player caught head coach Staley’s undivided attention: Tessa Johnson.

Speaking in an interview ahead of facing the Tigers on Thursday, Staley highlighted Johnson’s growth as a leader in the locker room this season, along with the overall development in the latter’s game. “I’ve seen Tessa use her voice a lot more. I’ve seen her just not settle on just shooting 3s. Her midrange game is equally as good. But I’ve seen her be aggressive and attack the basket,” Staley said.

The 2025-26 season is Johnson’s breakthrough year in all possibilities. From featuring as a bench player in her initial collegiate seasons, she has started 21 games in her junior year. It suggests that the Gamecocks guard has finally been able to win the confidence of Staley, and why not? Johnson has been averaging 13.9 points per game, along with 3.9 rebounds. Her experience in the team enables her to dictate the terms on the court like a leader. However, in her interview, Staley urged Johnson to focus more on defense to complement her already formidable shooting and offensive playmaking.

“She is doing well at all three levels, where she is getting better at playmaking a little more to give the defense something other than just thinking of her as a scorer, “Staley added. “And once she starts completing that, she keeps doing a little bit of it, but when it becomes part of your game, I think the sky is the limit for her.”

While Tessa Johnson impressed against the Commodores, her teammate, Ta’Niya Latson, also scored a match-high 21 points for the Gamecocks. They handled the offense well, with support from Joyce Edwards and Madina Okot. The Gamecocks were equally impressive on defense, forcing 20 turnovers of the Commodores and scoring 32 points. This two-way performance is definitely a feather in the cap for the Gamecocks going deep into the season.

After the Sooners’ defeat, the Gamecocks have slipped to third in the NET rankings and second in the SEC Conference. However, Dawn Staley’s side will have the opportunity to improve their stat against a fragile Auburn.

What Can Tessa Johnson and Dawn Staley Expect From Auburn?

Dawn Staley’s South Carolina Gamecocks will face the Auburn Tigers on Thursday in an away contest at the Neville Arena. Given their form this season, the ESPN analysts have given the Gamecocks a 98.5% chance of winning this game. Moreover, the Tigers are 13-8 and 2-5 in the season, suggesting the side isn’t going through its best patch; they have also lost five of their last seven matches. So, Johnson and co can take advantage of this losing momentum and clinch a relatively easy win before facing ranked teams like Tennessee, LSU, and Alabama on the trot.

The Tigers have maintained a fairly strong defense this season, conceding an average of just 59.7 opp ppg. Lashed with a strong physical center, Arek Angui, and defensive players Kaitlyn Duhon and Khady Leye, the side thrives on disrupting the opposition’s offensive flow through physical presence, forcing turnovers, and creating chaos.

Thus, Staley can expect to get a tough defensive block near the opposition rim, especially in the perimeters. However, with in-form Johnson, Ta’Niya Latson, and Joyce Edwards, South Carolina is expected to tackle this hurdle easily. Johnson’s three-point shooting will also face a tough opponent in Duhon, who is averaging 3.3 steals this season and also guards near the perimeter.

While Auburn’s defense is its strength, its offense has been a major hurdle. The season has seen just one player average in excess of ten in guard Harissoum Coulibaly (11.1). So, in all possibilities, the game is poised to be a tussle between Auburn’s defense and the Gamecocks’ offensive play. For Staley, she won’t hesitate to take the risky strategic decisions before the match. Similar to the Vanderbilt game, she can again bench the physical players and start with agile players to bring in more raw pace to tackle Auburn’s defensive hurdle.

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So, with a few hours remaining on the clock, who are you backing to win the game? Do let us know.