Dawn Staley Addresses Court Conditions and Roster Concerns Ahead of South Carolina’s Outdoor Game

South Carolina women’s basketball will enter unfamiliar territory Sunday, with Dawn Staley’s team preparing for the South Carolina outdoor basketball game 2026 at Credit One Stadium in Charleston — and the Gamecocks won’t have their full roster available.

South Carolina will face the College of Charleston at 4 p.m. ET on Sept. 27 as part of the LinkU Invitational. The exhibition will mark the first outdoor game in program history, turning a stadium more accustomed to tennis and concerts into a basketball venue.

But while the setting is historic, Staley’s immediate concern is much more familiar: getting healthy players ready to compete.

Staley: Healthy players will get the minutes

Speaking with local Charleston media after practice Saturday, Staley acknowledged that some players won’t be ready to take the court.

“Probably won’t have the whole roster so whoever is actually healthy enough to play we’re going to play them,” Staley said.

The exhibition will give healthy players an extended opportunity to make an early impression.

“We got 40 minutes, people that are healthy will get meaningful minutes and hopefully they can make an impression to be part of either the starting lineup or within our rotation, quickly off the bench,” Staley added.

For a roster undergoing significant change, those minutes could be particularly important.

South Carolina lost four players from last season. Point guard Raven Johnson, guard Ta’Niya Latson and center Madina Okot are now in the WNBA, while Maryam Dauda is playing professionally overseas.

Maddy McDaniel, who had been expected to compete for a starting point-guard role, also left the program in August, saying she needed to focus on her mental health.

The Gamecocks added fifth-year transfer Brooke Quarles-Daniels from Michigan in August, giving Staley another experienced option as she reshapes the rotation.

Injuries cloud the exhibition lineup

Several players have been dealing with injuries or recovery issues during the preseason.

Freshman guard Jerzy Robinson was seen wearing a brace on her right knee during practice earlier this week. She participated in drills observed by the media and appeared capable of running at full speed, but her availability for the exhibition remains part of the broader health picture.

Freshman forward Kaeli Wynn has also been handled carefully. Wynn missed her senior high school season because of knee injuries, and Staley has indicated that the program is taking a measured approach to her recovery.

Sophomore forward Alicia Tournebize is another player working her way back. Tournebize suffered a finger injury in late August while practicing with France ahead of the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup.

She was seen wearing a brace on her right hand during practice but did not participate in the portion of the workout open to media.

The uncertainty means Sunday’s game could provide a glimpse at South Carolina’s depth rather than a full preview of its regular-season rotation.

Chloe Kitts returns after ACL injury

One of the most significant developments is the return of fifth-year forward Chloe Kitts.

Kitts tore her ACL last October, ending her 2025-26 season before it began. She has now returned to basketball activity and said she no longer has to wear a knee brace, although she can still use one if she chooses.

The exhibition against College of Charleston will be her first game-like action since South Carolina’s national championship loss on April 6, 2025.

Her return adds an experienced frontcourt presence to a team that has undergone considerable turnover.

Kitts won’t be the only veteran making a highly anticipated return.

Ashlyn Watkins back after extended absence

Fellow fifth-year forward Ashlyn Watkins is also returning after a lengthy absence.

Watkins tore her ACL on Jan. 5, 2025, and subsequently stepped away from basketball and school for the entire 2025-26 season while focusing on her mental health.

She re-enrolled and rejoined the South Carolina program during the summer.

Her return gives Staley another experienced forward as the Gamecocks begin preparing for the new season. Like Kitts, Watkins will be getting back into game action after a significant stretch away from competitive basketball.

Staley likes what she sees from the outdoor court

The unusual venue doesn’t appear to be creating major concerns for Staley.

Credit One Stadium will feature a temporary outdoor basketball court for three games during the LinkU Invitational. The men’s schedule begins with Virginia facing Vanderbilt at noon, followed by College of Charleston against The Citadel at 2 p.m. South Carolina and College of Charleston will close the day’s basketball schedule at 4 p.m.

Staley offered a positive assessment after seeing the court.

“It’s beautiful, the venue is great, the court is great,” she said. “Not slippery. I think people are going to have a great time. I think it’s something that will be repeated from years to come.”

That assessment could ease one of the biggest questions surrounding an outdoor basketball game: whether the playing surface will hold up under unfamiliar conditions.

The weather should also cooperate. The forecast calls for a high around 83 degrees with mostly clear conditions, according to AccuWeather.

A different kind of exhibition

For South Carolina, Sunday’s game is about more than simply getting through 40 minutes.

It is the first opportunity for several players to experience game conditions after injuries, the first chance to see how the revamped roster begins to fit together and an unusual test for a program playing basketball outdoors for the first time.

The result will not count toward the regular-season record, but the minutes could carry plenty of value for players competing for roles.

With some players still recovering and others returning from long absences, Staley’s message is straightforward: the healthy players will play, and they will have an opportunity to make their case.

Under an open Charleston sky, South Carolina’s new chapter will begin with an exhibition unlike any the program has played before — the South Carolina outdoor basketball game 2026.