South Carolina Women’s Basketball Rotation Projection: Final Gamecocks Lineup

South Carolina women’s basketball rotation projection is finally taking shape, and the latest roster change has made Dawn Staley’s decision-making even more intriguing heading into the season.

For the third — and hopefully final — time, it is time to project how the Gamecocks could distribute their minutes.

The roster has changed considerably since the first projections were made in the spring. Five different versions were built as new players arrived, but the departure of Maddy McDaniel forced another reset. South Carolina eventually filled that opening with fifth-year transfer Brooke Quarles Daniels, a former Michigan guard whose defensive ability could give Staley another weapon on the perimeter.

But Daniels’ arrival does not create a simple one-for-one replacement.

The biggest question: Who handles the ball?

Daniels has experience playing point guard, but Michigan’s offense did not rely on one traditional floor general. Instead, multiple players shared ballhandling responsibilities, meaning Daniels may not immediately step into McDaniel’s old role.

That could push South Carolina even further toward positionless basketball.

Rather than asking one player to control everything, the Gamecocks should have at least two capable ballhandlers on the floor whenever possible. That group includes Daniels, Tessa Johnson, Agot Makeer, Jerzy Robinson and Chloe Kitts.

Jordan Lee is not included in that group because she was not asked to run the offense at Texas. Still, she has plenty of time to prove she can handle more responsibility.

With that in mind, here is the final projection.

Starting lineup

• Point guard: Tessa Johnson — Senior, 6-foot
• Guard: Jordan Lee — Junior, 6-foot
• Wing: Agot Makeer — Sophomore, 6-foot-2
• Forward: Chloe Kitts — Redshirt senior, 6-foot-3
• Post: Joyce Edwards — Junior, 6-foot-3

Sometimes the simplest answer is the right one.

This lineup puts five of South Carolina’s most talented and experienced players on the floor together. Johnson provides a steady hand with the ball, Lee brings size to the backcourt, Makeer gives the Gamecocks another physical perimeter presence, and Kitts can operate in multiple roles.

Then there is Edwards, whose combination of scoring ability, rebounding and versatility gives the starting five a formidable interior presence.

There is, however, another possibility.

Staley has historically shown a willingness to keep a major weapon on the bench so she can change the game when the second unit enters. Ashlyn Watkins could replace Kitts in the starting five to add even more size and defensive pressure.

Another intriguing option would be starting Robinson instead of Lee. That would surround the freshman with experienced players and potentially allow her to play more freely.

Second unit

• Point guard: Brooke Quarles Daniels — Graduate, 5-foot-7
• Guard: Agot Makeer — Sophomore, 6-foot-2
• Wing: Jordan Lee — Junior, 6-foot
• Forward: Joyce Edwards — Junior, 6-foot-3
• Post: Ashlyn Watkins — Senior, 6-foot-3

This group is where Daniels becomes particularly interesting.

Instead of immediately asking her to replicate McDaniel’s offensive role, Staley could use Daniels as a defensive disruptor. Put Daniels, Makeer, Lee and Watkins on the floor together and suddenly opposing guards have very little room to breathe.

The group may not overwhelm teams with traditional scoring punch, but it could make every possession feel like a wrestling match.

Edwards serves as the offensive safety valve, giving the unit someone capable of creating opportunities while the defensive pieces do their work.

The biggest concern is how quickly Johnson and Kitts would leave the game. Taking two starters off the floor early is risky, especially if the opponent has built momentum.

Still, this second unit could become one of the most uncomfortable groups in the country to play against.

Third unit

• Point guard: Jerzy Robinson — Freshman, 6-foot-2
• Guard: Tessa Johnson — Senior, 6-foot
• Wing: Chloe Kitts — Redshirt senior, 6-foot-3
• Forward: Oliviyah Edwards — Freshman, 6-foot-3
• Post: Alicia Tournebize — Sophomore, 6-foot-7

Forget the traditional positions with this group.

The goal here is development.

Robinson gets the opportunity to run the offense, but she does so with Johnson and Kitts providing an experienced safety net. That should allow the highly touted freshman to learn without carrying the full weight of the offense.

The more inexperienced pieces, Oliviyah Edwards and Alicia Tournebize, also need meaningful game minutes. A jumbo lineup could help accomplish that while creating matchup problems for opponents.

The biggest question is Daniels’ role. She does not project to receive huge minutes in every game, but that does not mean she will be unimportant.

Against elite perimeter threats such as Hannah Hidalgo or Mikayla Blakes, her defensive value could become much more important. Those are the games where Daniels could see her workload increase dramatically.

What about the rest of the roster?

Several players remain capable of breaking into the rotation.

If healthy, Adhel Tac gives South Carolina something no other player on the roster quite replicates: a traditional post presence. Against certain opponents, she could take minutes away from Tournebize.

Ayla McDowell, Kaeli Wynn and Justine Loubens also bring shooting ability that could force Staley to adjust. Spacing matters, particularly if South Carolina wants to play multiple interior threats together.

The health of Wynn is another variable. She is coming off a significant injury, and there has been little recent information about her status, making her availability at the beginning of the season difficult to project.

The garbage-time lineup

• Point guards: Jerzy Robinson, Jordan Lee, Brooke Quarles Daniels
• Guard: Ayla McDowell
• Wings: Kaeli Wynn, Justine Loubens
• Forwards: Oliviyah Edwards, Alicia Tournebize
• Posts: Adhel Tac, Kelsi Andrews

Early in the season, Lee and Daniels could receive additional opportunities to handle the ball, particularly against overmatched opponents.

As the season progresses, however, the priority should shift toward Robinson. Every extra possession she receives as a freshman point guard could pay dividends later in the season.

The rest of this group is largely made up of the younger players who need game experience.

And that is ultimately what makes South Carolina’s roster so fascinating.

Staley does not simply have five good players. She has enough versatility to build several very different lineups depending on the opponent, game situation and defensive challenge.

The Gamecocks may not have one traditional point guard who controls every possession, but they can compensate by putting multiple creators on the floor and surrounding them with size, defense and shooting.

For more South Carolina women’s basketball discussion, fans can join the conversation on the Women’s Basketball forum.

The final South Carolina women’s basketball rotation projection may change once the games begin, but this roster gives Dawn Staley plenty of ways to make adjustments.