For the second time this season, Dawn Staley made sure to leave Colonial Life Arena with another win. But this one was special as the team went on to score 114 points. They led 55–19 by halftime and never looked back, ultimately securing a win. Now the team surged to a 2–0 record after a stunning 67-point blowout against Bowling Green. But how did they do it?

Well, the dominance in today’s game was purely based on the team’s evolving offense.  As Staley explained after the game, “I see players who can really score individually, right? And I see a team that tries to make the right plays. They do make the obvious ones, but we’re trying to get them to make the unobvious. Instead of dumping it off to a post player, we want them to hit the skip.” 

And she’s absolutely right. At first, Edwards got things rolling, scoring six of the team’s first eight points. Then the Gamecocks had a splendid 15–0 run, followed by 9–0 bursts in both the second and third quarters, and capped it with a 16–0 run in the fourth. By the end, seven of the nine Gamecocks who played scored in double figures. The team shot a remarkable 63.6% from the field – pure offensive mastery.

“ That one-more skip is a back-breaking play – whether you’re up 50 or down 10. It gives you a little momentum and ensures that you’re aware of what’s happening on the floor and where people are. If we can do that, we’re making huge strides. Without doing them, we’re still putting points on the scoreboard, but we just have to make our players aware of them. Once they are, they actually do a really good job executing that,” Staley added in the post-game press conference.

Well, yes, leading the way was freshman forward Joyce Edwards. She dropped 24 points on 11-of-12 shooting and went 2-of-3 from the free-throw line. Right behind her was Okot, who played with power and precision. She finished with 13 points, 11 rebounds, and four blocks. Then it was Raven Johnson who added 11 points, 11 assists, five rebounds, and three steals to complete the balanced performance. But, of course, it was a team effort. 

And that kind of depth made life miserable for Bowling Green’s head coach, Fred Chmiel. “I think it was a little overwhelming in the first half. You try to warn these young people about what they’re about to walk into, but there’s nothing that duplicates Colonial Life Arena,” Chmiel said. The former assistant was on Staley’s staff from 2015 to 2023, and admitted that Grand Canyon wasn’t prepared for the Gamecocks’ pace.

But, of course, Chmiel wasn’t alone. That’ because the fight against Grand Canyon was also against a former assistant, Winston Gandy.  Still, Staley isn’t getting too comfortable. 

What’s Next for South Carolina?

While Staley and Gamecocks are 2-0 until now, the upcoming games won’t be easy for her. That’s because South Carolina is soon to face tough opponents like Clemson and USC. But before that, the need of the hour is to get her roster healthy. Especially since Freshman guard Agot Makeer left the court today with an apparent injury.

She checked in early after Tessa Johnson picked up two quick fouls in the first two minutes. She made an immediate impact. She had nine points in the first quarter alone. But in just 16 minutes of play, she exited the game late in the third quarter. As of now, there’s no official update on her condition.

But Staley shared one reassuring detail: “I mean, she’s not crying, so that’s a good thing.” It’s an understandable reaction from a coach who knows the mental and physical transition from high school to college isn’t easy. The Gamecocks will hope Makeer’s injury isn’t serious as they prepare for tougher competition on the road. For now, though, Staley and her squad can take pride in another powerful performance.