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Michael Voepel
Playing defending national champion South Carolina was already difficult enough. But how the Gamecocks have responded to their toughest loss of this season makes them even more formidable.
We’re not talking about their lone loss, at UCLA on Nov. 24, but rather, the loss of junior forward Ashlyn Watkins to a season-ending knee injury suffered Jan. 5. Watkins averaged 7.2 points, 6.1 rebounds and a team-high 1.9 blocks in the 14 games she played.
Since then, the Gamecocks have won four in a row, three against ranked opponents. They punished Texas (67-50) and Oklahoma (101-60), two top-10 teams. And in dismantling the Sooners on Jan. 19, South Carolina reached the century mark for the first time this season and likely played its best overall game of 2024-25.
South Carolina remains No. 2 in ESPN’s Women’s College Basketball Power Rankings and looks strong heading into what could be two of its toughest tests in the SEC. South Carolina hosts LSU on Thursday (ESPN, 8 p.m. ET) and then travels to Tennessee on Monday (ESPN2, 7 p.m. ET).
Coach Dawn Staley said Watkins brought shot-blocking, defense, rebounding, scoring and an intense competitive presence. But then Staley talked about how the rest of the Gamecocks have made the most of the extra playing time with Watkins out.
“Yes, we feel sorry for Ash and her not being with us,” Staley said. “But do we have the utmost confidence in the people who are left? Absolutely.”
That includes freshman star Joyce Edwards, who leads South Carolina in scoring at 12.1 points per game despite coming off the bench. Edwards is a 6-foot-3 post player who glides up and down the court and is shooting 56.6% from the field. Against the Sooners, she had 17 points on 8-of-10 shooting.
“Joyce’s work ethic is unmatched,” Staley said. “It’s borderline too much. She’s just driven, and she only knows one way. I’ve wanted her not to be in the gym so much, but that’s her makeup.”
MiLaysia Fulwiley (11.2, 2.9), who had 15 points, 4 rebounds and 7 assists against the Sooners, is another reserve guard, but she has been a highlight-reel player since her freshman season in 2023-24.
“I like playing good because it motivates me to play even better,” Fulwiley said. “As a team, we never pout when we don’t play good. I think the love we have for each other is going to get us through these tough games we have this week.”
The Gamecocks’ depth is still championship level even without Watkins. That depth might cost the Gamecocks major individual awards, Staley said, but they accept the trade-off for team success.
“We sacrifice SEC player of the week, having a national player of the year candidate, possibly some All-American [honors],” Staley said. “But this team is really just locked into the ultimate goal of winning and doing it for each other. [We’re] doing things that promote great basketball. We want to be a great product.”
Previous ranking: 1
Playing at Walter Pyramid in Long Beach because of the Los Angeles-area wildfires, the Bruins were pushed a bit by Penn State before securing an 83-67 win on Jan. 15. Then UCLA dominated nonconference foe Baylor 72-57 behind 24 points, 9 rebounds and 9 blocks from center Lauren Betts on Monday at the Coretta Scott King Classic in Newark, New Jersey. UCLA and LSU are the only unbeaten teams left in Division I.
Next seven days: @ Rutgers (Jan. 23), @ Maryland (Jan. 26)
Previous ranking: 2
Along with the victory over Oklahoma last week, the Gamecocks also beat another ranked team, Alabama. Now they face two more ranked foes in the Tigers and Lady Vols. Thursday is one of the most anticipated games of SEC season, matching the past two teams to win the NCAA title: South Carolina in 2022 and 2024, and LSU in 2023.
Next seven days: vs. LSU (Jan. 23), @ Tennessee (Jan. 27)
Previous ranking: 3
The Irish beat Georgia Tech by 15 and SMU by 24, with guard Hannah Hidalgo returning to action vs. the Mustangs. She missed the previous two games because of an ankle injury. The Notre Dame football team fell just short of a national championship Monday, but the Irish are still one of the top title contenders in women’s basketball.
Next seven days: @ Boston College (Jan. 23)
Previous ranking: 4
The Trojans were tested at Indiana on Sunday, but a 22-16 fourth-quarter edge gave them a 73-66 victory. JuJu Watkins (22 points) led USC in scoring, as she has in all but one game this season.
Next seven days: @ Purdue (Jan. 22)
Previous ranking: 5
The Tigers stayed perfect with a 17-point win over Florida on Sunday. They have been able to get through every challenge this season, but does that end Thursday? LSU has lost 16 consecutive games to South Carolina, dating back to the 2012 season. LSU has let lesser opponents hang around in games a bit too much. It can’t afford to need a late rally against the Gamecocks, because that probably won’t happen.
Next seven days: @ South Carolina (Jan. 23), vs. Texas A&M (Jan. 26)
Previous ranking: 6
Paige Bueckers returned to the court last week from a knee sprain, scoring 12 points in a victory over St. John’s and getting 18 points and seven assists in a 60-point rout of Seton Hall. Bueckers hit the 2,000-point threshold against the Pirates in her 102nd game for the Huskies. That’s a program record for the least amount of games to get to 2,000 points at UConn.
Next seven days: vs. Villanova (Jan. 22), @ Creighton (Jan. 25)
Previous ranking: 7
The Longhorns beat Auburn 74-57 last week to set up what seemed like an exciting nonconference matchup against Maryland on Monday in the Coretta Scott King Classic. But the injury-stung Terps couldn’t keep up with the Longhorns, losing 89-51.
Next seven days: vs. Tennessee (Jan. 23), at Ole Miss (Jan. 26)
Previous ranking: 10
TCU won its 10th game in a row, 81-73 over Utah last week, and at 7-0 is tied atop the Big 12 with Kansas State. The Horned Frogs must be wary of their trip to Oklahoma State, which was ranked before being upset by Houston last week. TCU’s upcoming game against Baylor could also challenge the Frogs.
Next seven days: @ Oklahoma State (Jan. 22), vs. Baylor (Jan. 26)
Previous ranking: 12
The Wildcats are one of three teams undefeated in SEC play, along with South Carolina and LSU. Those two play each other Thursday. Kentucky doesn’t face either until the end of the regular season. The Wildcats are coming off a 14-point victory at Georgia on Sunday, when they were led by post player Clara Strack with 25 points and 12 rebounds.
Next seven days: @ Texas A&M (Jan. 23), vs. Arkansas (Jan. 26)
Previous ranking: 11
The Wildcats beat Arizona and Arizona State this past week and are tied with TCU atop the Big 12 at 7-0. But they got very bad news: star center Ayoka Lee is out indefinitely because of a broken bone in her foot. Kansas State is still hopeful that Lee, who is in her final year of eligibility after dealing with several injuries in college, can return near the end of this season. Lee leads the Wildcats in scoring, rebounding and blocks, so this is a huge blow to K-State.
Next seven days: Next seven days: @ Colorado (Jan. 25)
Previous ranking: 8
Speaking of tough injuries, the Terps lost Bri McDaniel for the season to an ACL injury this week and saw another veteran player, Shyanne Sellers, sidelined by an injury in a loss to Texas on Monday. Sellers’ return is uncertain right now. None of this is what Maryland needed heading into two very difficult games.
Next seven days: @ Ohio State (Jan. 23), vs. No. 1 UCLA (Jan. 26)
Previous ranking: 9
Last week in the Power Rankings, we wondered how long the Buckeyes could stay undefeated. It turned out it wasn’t long. After a victory Thursday at Wisconsin, the Buckeyes were without injured freshman sensation Jaloni Cambridge for Sunday’s game against Penn State. The Nittany Lions upset the Buckeyes 62-59. We’ll see how Ohio State reacts to that this week.
Next seven days: vs. Maryland (Jan. 23), @ Nebraska (Jan. 26)
Previous ranking: 14
The Tar Heels, who are quietly having a solid season, are coming off victories at SMU and Pittsburgh. Guard Lexi Donarski led them in scoring in both games with 15 points.
Next seven days: vs. Wake Forest (Jan. 23), vs. Florida State (Jan. 26)
Previous ranking: 16
The Blue Devils needed two strong wins this past week, and they got them by dominating ACC newcomers California (by 34 points) and Stanford (by 25). Duke remains tied for second place in the ACC with NC State.
Next seven days: @ SMU (Jan. 23), @ Georgia Tech (Jan. 26)
Previous ranking: 13
The Sooners got a painful “welcome to the SEC” moment in having to play at South Carolina when the Gamecocks were really clicking. The bright spot to the 41-point loss for Oklahoma: the play of Raegan Beers, who injured her shoulder in a Jan. 12 game. She returned for Oklahoma’s 80-63 defeat of Missouri last week but had an even better performance against the Gamecocks with 23 points and eight rebounds. The Sooners must let this loss go and move forward.
Next seven days: vs. Georgia (Jan. 26)
Previous ranking: 15
Tennessee has hit a little skid, losing three of its past five games. The Lady Vols beat Mississippi State but then lost on a last-second shot at in-state rival Vanderbilt. With the Longhorns and Gamecocks up next, the Lady Vols will be tested.
Next seven days: @ Texas (Jan. 23), vs. South Carolina (Jan. 27)
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