Aliyah Boston reaches World Cup quarterfinals as Maryam Dauda and Nigeria are eliminated

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The FIBA Women’s World Cup has taken two South Carolina players in very different directions.

Aliyah Boston is moving into the knockout stage with Team USA, while Maryam Dauda and Nigeria have finished their tournament after going winless in the group stage.

For South Carolina fans, the difference is more than a simple advancement story.

Boston has become an important part of a United States roster that lost A’ja Wilson before the tournament because of health concerns, while Dauda entered Nigeria’s squad late and saw limited playing time.

Boston’s role changed before the tournament even began

Boston was making her World Cup debut after being one of the final cuts from the United States team in 2022.

She had even traveled to Sydney for that tournament before ultimately being replaced.

This time, Boston made the roster, and Wilson’s withdrawal made her importance more obvious.

With Wilson unavailable, Boston is the only true post player on Team USA’s roster according to the source material.

That puts a different responsibility on the former Gamecock as the Americans move into elimination play.

Her numbers through three group games have not been eye-catching, but her value has extended beyond scoring.

Against Germany, Boston played 15 minutes and finished with seven points, two rebounds, a steal and a block in a 94-61 victory.

She then played 21 minutes against Italy in a much tighter 55-52 win.

Boston scored six points and grabbed three rebounds, but her biggest statistical mark from that game was an 18 plus-minus.

She also contributed a steal during a game in which the United States needed important plays late.

Against Czechia, Boston played 13 minutes and recorded three points, two rebounds and a 19 plus-minus as Team USA won 105-64.

That profile tells an important story about her tournament role.

Boston does not necessarily need to become the Americans’ leading scorer.

She can instead provide size, interior defense, rebounding and another reliable option around the basket while the team’s other stars handle much of the offensive workload.

Maryam Dauda leaves with a first World Cup basket

Dauda’s World Cup experience has been considerably quieter.

The South Carolina forward was the final addition to Nigeria’s roster and played only a small role during the group stage.

She appeared for just 24 seconds in Nigeria’s 99-81 loss to Korea and did not record a statistic.

She did not play against Hungary.

Her biggest opportunity came in Nigeria’s final group game against France.

Nigeria lost 111-56, but Dauda received nine minutes and scored two points while also recording a steal.

That basket was her first at the World Cup.

It was a modest statistical contribution, but it gave Dauda a tangible moment in her first senior World Cup appearance.

Nigeria ultimately finished its group-stage run with three losses and did not advance.

The contrast between Boston and Dauda says more about opportunity than production

The two Gamecocks entered the tournament under very different circumstances.

Boston was already expected to play a meaningful role for a United States team chasing another major international title.

Dauda was added late to a Nigerian roster and had to compete for minutes in a tournament where Nigeria faced France, Hungary and Korea.

That difference is reflected clearly in their playing time.

Game	Aliyah Boston	Maryam Dauda
Group opener	15 minutes	24 seconds
Second game	21 minutes	DNP
Third game	13 minutes	9 minutes

Boston’s minutes have also changed depending on the matchup.

Her opening assignment included going up against China’s 7-foot-3 Zhang Ziyu, giving the United States an early test of how Boston could handle one of the tournament’s most unusual interior matchups.

Now the stakes increase.

The United States cannot rely on Wilson’s presence to absorb interior responsibilities, so Boston’s defensive positioning and ability to compete physically become even more relevant.

One possible adjustment for Team USA is to use Boston selectively based on matchups rather than asking her to carry a huge offensive load.

That could allow the Americans to preserve her energy while still getting the defensive and interior presence they need.

The United States enters the knockout stage as the favorite

Team USA went 3-0 in Group D, beating Germany, Italy and Czechia.

Its quarterfinal opponent is Hungary, with the game scheduled for September 10 at 5:30 a.m. Eastern.

The United States has been remarkably difficult to beat in major women’s basketball competition.

According to the source material, the Americans have lost only once at the World Cup since 1998, with that defeat coming against Russia in the 2006 semifinal.

They recovered in that tournament to win the bronze medal against Brazil.

The Olympic record is even more imposing, with Team USA unbeaten since 1996.

Still, the gap between the United States and the rest of the field cannot be taken for granted.

France came extremely close to forcing overtime against the Americans at the 2024 Olympics, and Wilson played a major role in preventing that from happening.

France also returns many of the key players from that team and moved through its World Cup group stage comfortably.

That makes Boston’s presence particularly interesting as the tournament enters the games where one poor stretch can end a title run.

South Carolina’s international representation runs deeper than the World Cup

Six current or former Gamecocks were named to senior national-team rosters this year, although only Boston and Dauda competed at this World Cup.

Current sophomores Agot Makeer and Ayla McDowell played for Canada’s and Brazil’s senior national teams earlier this summer.

Neither country qualified for this year’s World Cup.

Alicia Tournebize was part of France’s preliminary plans and attended the team’s World Cup training camp, but a finger injury ended her camp early and she did not make the final roster.

Wilson’s absence is another major South Carolina connection to the tournament.

The former Gamecock and reigning Olympic and World Cup MVP was expected to be one of the central figures for Team USA before withdrawing because of health concerns.

Her absence has changed the interior equation for the Americans and increased the importance of players such as Boston.

What comes next for Boston?

Boston now has a chance to make her first World Cup knockout appearance count.

The United States faces Hungary in the quarterfinals on September 10.

If the Americans advance, their semifinal opponent will come from the Spain, Italy and Australia side of the bracket according to the provided schedule.

The semifinals are scheduled for September 12, followed by the medal games on September 13.

For Boston, the challenge is not necessarily about producing a massive scoring line.

It is about giving Team USA enough interior defense, rebounding and physicality to compensate for the absence of Wilson.

That makes every possession Boston plays potentially more important than her raw scoring total suggests.

Dauda, meanwhile, leaves the tournament with limited minutes but an important first international milestone.

She has now experienced the speed and physicality of a senior World Cup, including her first basket on the biggest international stage.

For South Carolina, the bigger storyline is that Boston remains alive in the tournament while the Gamecocks’ other World Cup participant has completed her run.

The next test will reveal just how much Boston can influence the United States when the margin for error disappears, and that makes the next chapter of the South Carolina women’s basketball World Cup story especially important.

FAQs

When does Aliyah Boston play in the World Cup quarterfinals?

Boston and Team USA are scheduled to face Hungary on September 10 at 5:30 a.m. Eastern.

How did Aliyah Boston perform in the World Cup group stage?

Boston averaged a modest statistical workload across three games, but she contributed defensively and posted strong plus-minus figures in wins over Italy and Czechia.

What happened to Maryam Dauda at the World Cup?

Dauda played limited minutes for Nigeria and finished the group stage with two points and a steal against France.

Did Maryam Dauda score at the World Cup?

Yes.

Dauda scored two points against France, which was her first World Cup basket.

How many South Carolina players competed at the World Cup?

According to the provided source, Aliyah Boston and Maryam Dauda were the only current or former Gamecocks among the six players connected to senior national teams who actually competed at this World Cup.