Dawn Staley and South Carolina face the NCAA Tournament without a key starter, who suffered a freak injury that ruled her out for the rest of the season. But she is taking it in her stride, focusing on what comes next.

Tenacious South Carolina frontcourt star Chloe Kitts saw her senior year cut short because of a practice injury while grabbing a rebound. And while Chloe Kitts will return for another year at South Carolina, she is not fearful of her physical condition.

“I was running the other day, and I’m not scared. I could go get on that court right now, I wouldn’t be scared at all,” said Kitts.

Well, for a frontcourt option that grabs as many offensive boards as Kitts, the attitude matches her courageous style of play on the court as well. Chloe Kitts was part of the NCAA-winning South Carolina team and has helped build the culture and winning habits over the last few years.

A player whom Dawn Staley has previously labelled “irreplaceable”, Kitts’ year-on-year evolution, despite being a starter since the 2023-24 season, is remarkable. She has shown improvement in her free-throw accuracy and paint dominance. Over the three years, Kitts has gone from being a rotational player in her freshman year to now averaging 7.7 rebounds per game.

Dawn Staley could have used Kitts’ presence in the SEC Tournament Final against Texas. The Longhorns dominated the paint and grabbed an advantage in rebounding that culminated in South Carolina ending on the losing end of the 78-61 scoreline.

The 21-year-old Chloe Kitts would have been a high draft pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft. But she will be returning to the South Carolina Gamecocks, repeating her senior year. Dawn Staley will be counting on her to share her experience. But first, the South Carolina head coach needs to make crucial changes ahead of the NCAA Tournament.

While Kitts’ absence was felt, the loss to Texas highlighted a pre-existing weakness and a potential solution in one player: Alicia Tournebize.

Staley May Have Found an Answer to the Team’s Height Problem

While South Carolina came into the SEC Tournament as a higher seed than Texas, the Longhorns outclassed the Gamecocks 78-61. But the pressing concern was their ability to shut Madina Okot down and dominate the inside. While Chloe Kitts’ absence is telling in crucial matches, the match has already provided a natural solution.

Dawn Staley’s starters are often in a league of their own in ball movement and mobility on the court. But the one glaring difference they often tussle with is the lack of height on the court. And the Texas defeat made it clearer than ever. The only period when South Carolina showed any fight was when Alicia Tournebize was on the court.

The French freshman grabbed 6 rebounds in her 19 minutes against Texas and also scored 6 points from 5 field goal attempts. Tournebize has recently made it a habit of finding room inside when her teammates struggle, and Dawn Staley could promote Tournebize into the starting five for the NCAA Tournament.

Tournebize is far from a gamble. She has experience playing in France and has now shown she is comfortable within the South Carolina setup. Starting Tournebize can set the tempo, and since opponents are still unaware of how a starting five with Tournebize will play, this could prove to be Dawn Staley’s trump card going into the NCAA Tournament, as Chloe Kitts cheers her team from afar.