Ashlyn Watkins did not have the kind of offensive outing that usually attracts attention in South Carolina’s 84-39 demolition of North Carolina. The fifth-year senior forward went scoreless in 17 minutes off the bench, missing all four of her field-goal attempts. But while the box score suggests a quiet night, Watkins was anything but invisible. She grabbed 10 rebounds, recorded a steal and a block, and helped the Gamecocks dominate the boards.

Speaking about Watkins’ performance, a video of which Fox’s Matt Dowell shared on X, head coach Dawn Staley highlighted the forward’s contributions to the game and the team at large. According to Staley, Watkins consistently takes care of the less glamorous aspects of basketball, doing the little things that might not attract much attention but make a significant difference to the team’s success.

“It’s comforting knowing that she’s been around our program a long time and she does all the little things,” Staley said. “She does all the things that most players don’t want to do. For her, she gives us great comfort in that. She doesn’t mind.”

Of course, Watkins’ energy and rebounding helped South Carolina completely overwhelm North Carolina on the boards (48–33) and in second-chance points (25–7), fueling a blowout win that moved the Gamecocks to 2-0 on the young season. And Staley is clearly appreciative of the forward’s willingness to embrace those responsibilities. However, the South Carolina coach believes there is still room for improvement and would love to see Watkins show more of her scoring side.

“I like for her to be a little bit more aggressive offensively, scoring the basketball, just creating more opportunities for her to score. I mean, she’s very capable of doing that, but again, she’s going to give you what the team needs. So, when it’s time for her to score, I know she’ll score. It’s just we don’t want to wait for those opportunities. We want her to kind of force the issue a little bit so it doesn’t catch her off guard,” Staley added.

Watkins has never really been the kind of player whose game revolves around scoring a lot of points. In fact, her best college scoring season came as a sophomore, when she averaged 9.2 points per game. And so far this season, she has scored seven points in the opener against Maryland and none against North Carolina.

So of course, Dawn Staley does not need Watkins to carry the scoring load, as the Gamecocks have other players for that. But she wants her more involved offensively, because her contributions there would benefit the team too

“We want her a part of the offensive flow of what we’re doing because we know she’s going to rebound. We know she’s going to defend. And we know she’s going to bring that energy and that tenacity on both sides of the basketball,” Staley added.

This North Carolina matchup, however, marks Watkins’ second appearance since returning from a torn anterior cruciate ligament she suffered in January 2025, which forced her to sit out the entire 2025–26 season. Perhaps, with each game, she will gradually settle back into the rhythm of competitive basketball and become the more complete offensive contributor that Staley envisions. 

Her rebounding, defensive presence, and energy are already there. Now, the next step is translating some of that confidence into more scoring opportunities.

“The Better They’re Going to Be”: Dawn Staley Backs Ashlynn Watkins and Chloe Kitts to Bounce Back After Rusty Returns

Both Ashlynn Watkins and Chloe Kitts missed the entire 2025/26 campaign while recovering from anterior cruciate ligament injuries. Now returning for the 2026/27 season, it is only natural that the two South Carolina forwards would need some time to shake off the rust. However, with each game they play, both players should gradually regain their confidence and form.

“They haven’t really played in a long time and they looked a little rusty,” head coach Dawn Staley said after both players featured in the exhibition game against Benedict. “But the more and more rust that they knock off, the better they’re going to be. So it was good to have them to put in the game.”

Watkins tore her ACL against Mississippi State on January 5, 2025, bringing her 2024/25 season to an early end. She subsequently announced in July 2025 that she would take a leave of absence to continue her rehabilitation and focus on personal growth, sitting out the entire 2025/26 season. Chloe Kitts, after helping South Carolina reach the 2025 national championship game, tore the ACL in her right knee in October 2025, just before the start of 2025-26, and missed the entire year as well.

With the exhibition, the two players have now featured in three games since beginning their respective comebacks. And with each appearance, both players, particularly Kitts, have shown encouraging signs of getting back to their best. 

In South Carolina’s 101–93 season-opening win over Maryland in Paris, Kitts started and recorded eight points, seven rebounds, and five assists. Watkins came off the bench to contribute seven points, 10 rebounds, two steals, and two blocks. In the subsequent 84–39 blowout win over North Carolina in Charlotte, Kitts recorded a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds, while Watkins grabbed another 10 rebounds in 18 minutes off the bench. 

The Gamecocks will face unranked Clemson in their next game, a matchup in which they enter as overwhelming favorites. Hopefully, both players will continue building on their recent performances and become increasingly comfortable as the season progresses. Watkins, especially, will be looking to become more involved offensively and create additional scoring opportunities for herself, just as Staley has expressed her desire to see.