The Players Era championship game had everything you’d want from a showdown between two SEC powerhouses. After falling to the Gamecocks in last season’s Final Four, the Longhorns finally got their revenge, handing Dawn Staley’s team its first loss since the national championship.
But what truly sets South Carolina apart is how quickly the program regroups after a setback. A huge part of that response has been freshman Ayla McDowell.
According to Coach Staley, McDowell was nervous heading into the Texas game, but that experience became a turning point. It taught her what big-game pressure feels like, and since then, she has only blossomed.
“I’m going to be completely honest. It was the Texas game. She was a little nervous — actually, she was a lot nervous. And I do think that because we threw her out there and said, ‘Hey, do what you can do,’ she didn’t like the way she played. She didn’t like the way she felt,” Dawn Staley said.
“But if we don’t put her out there, she doesn’t get in the gym, and she went straight to the gym after we got back. She can shoot the ball, no question. She just has to put herself in positions to shoot it, and she didn’t always do that. Now she does. And we’re finding her, and she’s making shots.”
Heading into the new season, Ayla McDowell and Agot Makeer were the only two recruits Dawn Staley brought in. McDowell arrived as ESPN’s No. 15 prospect in the 2025 class and was the first to commit to South Carolina. At Cypress Springs High School, she put up huge numbers as a senior, averaging 24.66 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 3.1 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game, per MaxPreps.com.
There was plenty of hype around the McDonald’s All-American, but the Players Era Championship game was easily the biggest stage she’d ever stepped on, and it showed. The moment got to her. She struggled throughout the game, finishing 0-for-3 from the field with just one rebound.
But Dawn Staley didn’t give up on her, and that faith finally paid off. McDowell had been averaging just 4.1 points and 2 rebounds in 11.8 minutes per game, but things shifted when South Carolina took on the North Carolina Central Eagles. She erupted for 16 points, knocking down 5 of 7 from deep, flashing the shooting Staley always knew she had in her bag.
It was also the most minutes Ayla had played all season, and that probably had a lot to do with the circumstances Staley found herself in.
Dawn Staley’s Roster Shortage Continues to Worsen
In recent years, we’ve always associated deep, loaded rosters with Dawn Staley’s Gamecocks. However, this season opened on the worst possible note. Chloe Kitts tore her ACL, and Ashlyn Watkins opted out, suddenly leaving South Carolina with just 10 available players.
Ahead of the game against NC Central, Tessa Johnson was out sick, and Agot Makeer was still in concussion protocol, so South Carolina suited up with just eight players. By the time the game was over, they were down to seven after Madina Okot also fell ill. This naturally raises questions about how South Carolina will survive with such a thin rotation.
Dawn Staley had an answer for that.
“It will take a little longer but I don’t see any of that, I only see what’s in front of us,” Staley said. “We had eight today, I only see eight, we got reduced to seven, I only see seven. We’re going to play the hand that we’re dealt to the best our abilities.”
It will be interesting to see how the Gamecocks continue to grow this season. Unlike last year, this group does feel a bit thinner because of the limited numbers, but you can never count out a Dawn Staley team. She’s hungry to win, especially after last season’s brutal championship game loss. Ignore them at your own risk.
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