Despite having one of the best benches, Dawn Staley’s Gamecocks didn’t perform as expected against the UConn Huskies. They suffered a tough 87-58 loss against Paige Bueckers and company. However, it wasn’t enough to crush Staley’s confidence. “We don’t like to lose, obviously, and we don’t like to lose the way we’ve lost the three games,” she shared post-game. And she meant every word when the Gamecocks’ squad came back to lock horns with Arkansas. They made it difficult for Arkansas to survive and ultimately claimed a decisive 95-55 win—enough to gather praise from the opposing team’s head coach.

Well, it wasn’t just the scoreline that turned heads—it was the sheer depth of Staley’s squad that left the opponent’s head coach delivering a serious warning to teams across the country.

“Everybody that came in, they get 56 points off the bench,” Arkansas head coach Mike Neighbors said post-game. “It just speaks to the depth that they’ve got. And the team that I think, going into March, depth’s very, very important. I don’t know what’ll happen. I’m not very good at predicting things, I never have been, but I still think this is a South Carolina team everybody better look out for in tournament time.”

And he’s right. Dawn Staley’s South Carolina poses a serious threat to all 67 national teams participating in the NCAA tournament. The Gamecocks’ depth made significant contributions coming off the bench. Freshman Joyce Edwards led the team with 18 points, whereas MiLaysia Fulwiley added 15 points—10 of which came during a pivotal second-quarter surge that extended the Gamecocks’ lead.

“Yeah, it must be nice to bring her (Fulwiley) off the bench. It’s just a spark, and I know she excels in that role. She’s accepted it… she takes it to another level just with her energy. And, you know, her offense a lot of times gets the flash,” the opponent’s head coach added.

Alone, Fulwiley and Edwards combined for 33 points. As if that wasn’t enough, Junior Bree Hall concluded the game with a season-high 14 points, whereas Tessa Johnson contributed two three-pointers and a career-high six assists. Even Maryan Dauda wasn’t far behind, closing in on a double-double with nine points and eight rebounds. That marked an impressive 58.9% contribution from bench players. Impressive, right? Not really for top teams like Notre Dame, Texas, USC, and UCLA.

How South Carolina’s bench depth could be the X-factor in their March Madness run

According to the Top 25 women’s basketball poll, Notre Dame is the new No. 1, whereas Texas stands second. But even for the No. 1 ranked team, matching the most productive benches in women’s collegiate basketball is no easy feat. This season, the Gamecock bench leads the nation with an average of 41.6 points per game.

They also account for nearly 51.9% of the team’s total offense and a staggering 73.3% of the offensive production in SEC play.

And there’s more. The bench has outscored opponents’ reserves by 27 points per game (13 times this season, including three against ranked teams). They have an average of 18.8 points against ranked teams and 26.1 in SEC matchups.

In front of this dangerous depth, even top programs like Notre Dame, UCLA, and Texas aren’t readily prepared. Their success is often driven by strong starting lineups. For the Fighting Irish, the starting trio of Sonia Citron, Olivia Miles, and Hannah Hidalgo combined for 61 of the team’s total 88 points in a victory over Pitt.

Even in their recent win over Miami, the team’s starters contributed 78 points, whereas the bench added a mere four points to the team’s total of 82. The case is quite similar for other teams. Quite evidently, this is the exact opposite of Staley’s game plan. “It’s almost like they have eight or nine starters, not just five,” UConn’s Geno Auriemma admitted before their win against South Carolina.

When her starters are tired, equally capable bench players step in, overpowering opponents and steering the Gamecocks to victory. With only a few days left until March Madness, Staley remains as dominant as ever. South Carolina is now predicted to be a No. 1 seed despite recent losses to UConn and No. 4 Texas. While they currently rank No. 6, there’s no denying they are a potential threat to any team vying for the national title this season.