Dawn Staley's latest coaching decision paid off significantly in South Carolina's 88-45 win over Mississippi. The coach gave freshman Ayla McDowell a surprise start. The move proved critical for the team's victory.

Coach Staley started freshman Ayla McDowell against the Bulldogs. She played 29 impactful minutes.

“We gave her (McDowell) the opportunity because they (Mississippi) were just big on a perimeter. I just thought there was a bigger defensive presence. And more of a boxing out, a bigger guard”, the coach said.

The Gamecocks won 88-45 on February 6. McDowell scored 16 points and 5 rebounds while shooting four three-pointers successfully. And that’s not all. There was another reason why Coach Staley started her.

“She’s a floor spacer, I’m just happy to see her shot go down. We know that when we charge her with something, she’s actually pretty good at just seeing it through. We like the fact that she is predictable. It really helps us”, Staley added.

McDowell has been averaging 5.1 points and 1.6 rebounds per game this season. But Staley’s decision to start her today helped the game when it was needed. Because one of the Gamecocks’ starting guards didn’t make it back to the paint.

Tessa Johnson Did Not Return After 3rd Quarter

Johnson, who has been averaging 13.6 points per game and 3.5 rebounds per game, remained on the bench from the third quarter. The coach did not specify the injury, citing only long-term readiness.

“She’s just banged up,” Staley said. “We afforded ourselves to get a big lead and not (having to) put her in a situation where she could hurt herself more. She’s just a little sore, so we opted to keep her out and get her ready for the Tennessee game.”

McDowell's performance compensated for the absence. The Gamecocks stand at 23-2 overall and 9-1 in the SEC. Moving forward to face Tennessee on February 8, will we see more of McDowell? Comment your thoughts.

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Written by

Deblina Roy

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar