South Carolina nearly squandered a 31-point lead before holding on for a 101-93 win over Maryland in their Paris opener. While the Gamecocks dominated early, a sudden second-half collapse almost cost them the game. For guard Jordan Lee, that late-game slip left something feeling completely off.
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Lee’s frustration targeted that second-half letdown specifically, where Maryland outscored South Carolina by 20, rather than the team’s overall opening victory. That performance gave the Gamecocks all the motivation they needed heading into their matchup against UNC.
“Putting two halves together again was the huge emphasis for us. We thought in Paris. We had a great first half. Came out; we’re very versatile on offense, you know, we put up 60 points by half. But you know, the second half they outscored us by 20, and that wasn’t the Gamecock standard,” Lee said in the post-game press conference.
South Carolina opened the game against Maryland by converting its first seven shots from the field, establishing an early 26-5 advantage. But as sophomore guard registered a career-high 35 points, Maryland mounted a response, cutting the deficit to six points in the final minute before the Gamecocks secured the victory. For Jordan Lee, the Gamecocks needed to come prepared for this game.
“So coming in today, we made sure we were definitely more focused and more intense than we were in Maryland. I think all of us collectively weren’t satisfied with our effort, especially in the second half. So today, we wanted to come in and just shut them down offensively, and we paid really good attention to scout,” Lee added.
Jordan Lee finished the game with nine points, six rebounds, and three assists. However, it was an all-around effort from the Gamecocks, as four players finished in double digits in scoring, led by a team-high 17 points from Chloe Kitts. Joyce Edwards tallied 15 points, Tessa Johnson scored 12, Jordan Lee added 9, and Jerzy Robinson contributed 10 points. Head coach Dawn Staley primarily utilized an eight-player rotation, with Ashlyn Watkins and Jerzy Robinson standing out, logging 17 and 21 minutes, respectively.
South Carolina held a five-point advantage following the first quarter before outscoring North Carolina 51-16 across the second and third periods. Over those 20 minutes, the Gamecocks forced 17 turnovers and limited the Tar Heels to six made field goals to secure the decisive win. For Chloe Kitts, the game marks a significant step in her journey back to the level she was used to playing before her devastating injury.
Chloe Kitts Just Trying To “Help” The Team
Retained from the 2024 championship roster alongside Tessa Johnson and Ashlyn Watkins, Kitts functions as a foundational veteran for the current program. She is vital for Staley’s team, especially for the overall utility she brings to this team, scoring, rebounding, and dictating the play on both ends of the floor. So for the Gamecocks fans, it will be a relief to see that Kitts is slowly getting back to form.
“I actually feel more relaxed than when I used to play,” Kitts said. “I think the game has definitely slowed down a bit for me. And I’m just trying to do whatever I can to help the team,” Kitts said.
During her junior season, Kitts earned All-American honors while averaging 10.2 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. The game against UNC marked Kitts’ second appearance since returning from a torn ACL sustained during an October 2025 practice, an injury that sidelined her for a full calendar year. Since being cleared to resume basketball activities, she has worn a protective knee brace during all practices and games.
And this was the first game that Kitts played without wearing that knee brace, which Dawn Staley said was “one of the biggest things that she could have done.”
South Carolina Gamecocks’ next game is against the Clemson Tigers. While Staley’s squad has leaned heavily on its defensive intensity, rebounding, and deep frontcourt rotation (including Chloe Kitts, Joyce Edwards, Ashlyn Watkins, and Alicia Tournebize), this in-state rivalry matchup against Clemson serves as South Carolina’s first true road test of the 2026-27 regular season.