Aliyah Boston Recalls How Dawn Staley Would Have Reacted to South Carolina’s Second-Half Collapse Against Maryland

South Carolina opened its 2026-27 season with an impressive 101-93 victory over No. 20 Maryland, but the final score did not tell the entire story. After establishing a commanding advantage early, the Gamecocks allowed the Terrapins to mount a significant second-half comeback, raising questions about their defensive performance and ability to maintain control over a full 40 minutes.

The No. 1-ranked Gamecocks made an outstanding start, converting their first seven field-goal attempts to take a 26-5 lead. Their advantage eventually reached 31 points, and they appeared to have the contest firmly under control.

Maryland, however, responded after halftime. Sophomore guard Addi Mack became increasingly difficult to contain, scoring 31 points and helping the Terrapins cut the deficit to six in the final minute. South Carolina eventually held on, but the late pressure brought Dawn Staley’s sideline reaction into the conversation.

On the Post Moves podcast, former South Carolina star Aliyah Boston offered an interesting observation about her former coach. During the discussion, Candace Parker suggested that Staley was probably frustrated with how much of the lead her team had surrendered.

Boston agreed that Staley was likely unhappy, but she was particularly surprised by how composed the South Carolina coach appeared.

“I know she was probably mad, but my thing was she was so calm, and I get it like it’s game one, but I was like, she would have called a timeout and blacked on us,” Boston said.

She also recalled seeing Staley remain visibly unimpressed while Maryland continued to make its comeback.

For Boston, that reaction was particularly interesting because she remembered a different level of intensity from Staley during her playing days in Columbia.

Dawn Staley Recognizes South Carolina’s Second-Half Problems

Staley did not overlook the difference between her team’s performance before and after halftime.

“It was a tale of two halves,” she said after the game. “You’ve certainly gotta play for 40 minutes every time we step on the floor.”

South Carolina entered the break with a 61-33 advantage, but its defensive intensity declined considerably in the second half. Mack took advantage, scoring 17 points in the third quarter alone as Maryland outscored the Gamecocks 26-17 during the period.

The Terrapins found opportunities against South Carolina’s defensive structure, something Staley also acknowledged in her postgame assessment.

The Gamecocks struggled offensively at certain points as well. Their field-goal percentage dropped to 33 percent in the third quarter, while 17 turnovers throughout the contest gave Maryland additional opportunities to close the gap.

Despite those problems, South Carolina finished with a respectable 49 percent shooting percentage from the field and converted 50 percent of its three-point attempts.

Joyce Edwards led the team with 23 points. Agot Makeer added 20, while Tessa Johnson finished with 15 and Jordan Lee contributed 13. Chloe Kitts recorded eight points.

Staley primarily relied on a seven-player rotation, with Ashlyn Watkins and Jerzy Robinson receiving the most substantial contributions from the bench.

Robinson was another player who earned recognition from the South Carolina coach. Staley praised her composure, court vision and decision-making, particularly given her age and experience.

“I thought Jerzy did great,” Staley said. “I thought she was super composed.”

She also highlighted Robinson’s ability to recognize passing opportunities and make natural decisions on the floor. Her performance was impressive enough for Staley to keep her involved during the closing stages of the contest.

Candace Parker Expects a Breakout Season From Agot Makeer

Makeer’s performance was another major positive for South Carolina.

The sophomore guard delivered a career-high 20 points, shooting 8-for-10 from the field and making all four of her attempts from beyond the three-point line.

Her contribution extended beyond scoring. Makeer recorded two blocks and two steals, providing valuable defensive production in addition to her offensive efficiency. Early foul trouble briefly limited her availability, but she still made a significant impact in 25 minutes.

Parker was particularly impressed with what she saw and believes Makeer could become one of the players to watch this season.

“Makeer is a hooper, like she’s somebody that I’m looking to have a breakout season,” Parker said.

Staley also recognized how valuable Makeer’s contribution had been, especially during a game in which South Carolina needed production from several players.

“Gotti always has a way of meeting the moment and today we needed every single one of her points,” Staley said.

South Carolina will now turn its attention to another major early-season test against No. 12 North Carolina. The Gamecocks are scheduled to face the Tar Heels on Sunday, November 8, at 5:30 p.m. ET in Charlotte as part of the Ally Tipoff. The game will be televised on ESPN.