Dawn Staley’s troops are back like they never left, this time in Paris. Facing the No. 17 Maryland Terrapins at Adidas Arena, the South Carolina Gamecocks won their season opener 101-93. While familiar names like Joyce Edwards and Agot Makeer dominated the box score, we also saw the introduction of someone who is considered the No. 6 recruit in the Class of 2026 by ESPN, Jerzy Robinson. The 18-year-old started off with a bang, scoring 15 points, six rebounds, and two assists, including one of the most bizarre first-career three-pointers.

With less than 30 seconds remaining in the first quarter, Robinson had possession. As the 18-year-old drove towards the right, two Terrapins defenders went after her. Robinson then threw the ball towards the net, which initially felt like a lob to her 6’7 teammate Alicia Tournebize, who jumped as high as possible to finish the play. However, the Frenchwoman ended up not needing to do anything, as the ball went straight into the net, with Robinson unknowingly scoring her first career three-pointer.

“Oh, it did go in! Yeah, that ball went in the hoop!” Even the commentators were surprised upon watching the replay of Robinson’s first career three-pointer, per NCAA March Madness on X.

The freshman from Arizona is another interesting addition in the Gamecocks’ ranks that Staley can help develop further. With Team USA, Robinson has already won the 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup, the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup, and the 2023 FIBA Americas U16 Championship. Moreover, Robinson won MVP and All-Star Five in both her U17 and U16 tournaments. Robinson’s life at South Carolina could not have started brighter, and considering she averaged 22.0 points and 8.2 rebounds per game on 62% shooting in her freshman year at Desert Vista High School in Phoenix, Gamecocks fans are in for a treat watching the five-star recruit under Staley.

While it was business as usual for the Gamecocks, they did face a little turbulence in the form of sophomore Addie Mack. USC led by as much as 31 points early in the third quarter and 19 by the fourth, but Maryland began to find their rhythm on the back of Mack, who scored 31 of her career-high 35 points in the second half, helping her program mount a late comeback. An 8-0 burst midway through the fourth quarter brought the deficit down to 89-80, marking the first time South Carolina’s lead had dipped below double digits since the opening quarter.

However, the momentum shifted immediately after Staley called a timeout, and the Gamecocks strung together seven unanswered points to restore a 96-80 cushion with three minutes remaining. While Maryland tried to start another late comeback with a 10-0 run, it was already too late. Jerzy Robinson came into action once again with teammate Jordan Lee, as the duo combined 5-of-6 shots from the charity stripe to close out the Gamecocks’ first win of the season in the French capital.

Apart from the freshman Robinson’s heroics, Joyce Edwards scored 23 points, eight rebounds, and four assists, while Agot Makeer, who came to light during the Gamecocks’ March Madness run last season, let go of her preseason jitters and started her sophomore year with a career-high 20 points, three assists, and a rebound. Overall, five players scored in double digits, including Tessa Johnson and Jordan Lee. Ashlyn Watkins and Chloe Kitts played for the first time since the 2024-25 season.

Next up, Dawn Staley’s Gamecocks take on No. 12 North Carolina in Charlotte on Sunday, as the quest to win the fourth national championship is already underway after coming agonizingly close to it last season.