South Carolina Won by 31 Points. Dawn Staley Still Has Work to Do.

South Carolina women’s basketball opened its exhibition schedule with a 91–60 victory over the College of Charleston on September 27. Joyce Edwards recorded 28 points and 16 rebounds, Tessa Johnson added 23 points, and Jordan Lee made all four of her three-point attempts. The Gamecocks demonstrated their offensive potential, but the final score concealed an area that deserves attention before the regular season begins: defensive rebounding.

Dawn Staley acknowledged after the game that her team had both positive moments and areas requiring correction. The rebounding numbers support that assessment. South Carolina finished with a 41–35 advantage in total rebounds, yet Charleston collected 25 offensive rebounds compared with 16 for the Gamecocks. That difference deserves attention, particularly with the team preparing for a November 2 season opener against Maryland in Paris.

On Friday, October 23, South Carolina will host Benedict College at Colonial Life Arena in its second exhibition game. The matchup gives Staley another opportunity to assess her team’s defensive positioning and rebounding discipline before the results begin to count in the regular season.

The Charleston game revealed a specific concern

Allowing 25 offensive rebounds in a game South Carolina won by 31 points may appear insignificant at first. However, offensive rebounds give opponents additional possessions, creating opportunities to score even when their initial attempts fail.

Charleston’s ability to recover 25 of its own missed shots meant that South Carolina did not consistently finish defensive possessions. The Gamecocks could force a missed attempt and still allow the Cougars to retain possession.

This is an area Staley will want to examine. Defensive rebounding requires more than height or athletic ability. Players must identify their assignments, establish position, make contact when appropriate, and pursue the ball. When those responsibilities are not carried out collectively, opponents can create second-chance opportunities.

The overall rebounding advantage does offer some perspective. South Carolina still won the battle on the boards, and Edwards collected 16 rebounds herself, including eight offensive rebounds. Her individual production demonstrated how effectively a player can pursue the ball, but the team’s defensive rebounding numbers show that there is room for improvement across the rotation.

One exhibition cannot establish that South Carolina has a season-long rebounding problem. The circumstances also matter. Several regular players missed the Charleston game, which forced Staley to use unfamiliar combinations and assign some players responsibilities outside their usual positions. The defensive rebounding performance therefore needs to be evaluated alongside the personnel available that afternoon.

Why Benedict presents another useful test

Benedict College enters Friday’s exhibition with a program that has established a record of success in NCAA Division II basketball. Head coach James Rice has led the Tigers since 2012. Through the 2025–26 season, he had compiled a 247–145 coaching record, with five Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament championships and multiple NCAA Tournament appearances.

Benedict’s official coaching profile identifies pressure defense, physical play, and rebounding as established characteristics of Rice’s teams. Those qualities make the exhibition relevant to South Carolina’s preparation, particularly after the Gamecocks allowed Charleston to generate so many second-chance opportunities.

South Carolina will have a clear opportunity to demonstrate better execution. Players must locate opposing rebounders quickly, establish position before the ball reaches the rim, and maintain defensive assignments until possession is secured.

The Tigers also provide a chance to evaluate how effectively South Carolina handles physical play around the basket. Even if the Gamecocks establish an early scoring advantage, their ability to control the defensive glass will remain an important measure of their performance.

The objective should be to finish defensive possessions consistently. For a team with South Carolina’s ambitions, forcing a missed shot is only part of the job.

Chloe Kitts’ return adds another dimension

The Benedict exhibition also carries individual significance for Chloe Kitts, who missed the entire 2025–26 season after suffering a torn ACL before her senior campaign.

Before the injury, Kitts averaged 10.2 points and 7.7 rebounds per game during the 2024–25 season. She also earned SEC Tournament Most Valuable Player honors. Her return gives South Carolina another experienced frontcourt player who can contribute on the boards.

Kitts has indicated that she feels fully recovered, although Staley has suggested that her minutes against Benedict will likely be limited as the coaching staff manages her return to game action. Her availability and workload will therefore be worth watching, but the exhibition should not be treated as a guarantee that she will immediately resume her previous role.

Her presence could help South Carolina’s frontcourt rotation over time. Kitts has demonstrated that she can rebound effectively at the college level, and her return gives Staley another option alongside Edwards and the team’s other forwards.

Still, the larger question concerns the team as a whole. South Carolina cannot depend on one player to solve a collective rebounding issue. Guards must help secure defensive rebounds, forwards must establish position, and everyone on the floor must understand their responsibilities.

The Maryland opener raises the stakes

South Carolina’s exhibition schedule is approaching its conclusion. After facing Benedict, the Gamecocks will travel to France for their November 2 matchup against Maryland at Adidas Arena in Paris. The game is scheduled for noon Eastern time and will be televised on ESPN.

That opening matchup provides a more demanding setting for the lessons learned during the preseason. South Carolina will need to defend effectively, limit opponents’ additional possessions, and convert defensive stops into opportunities at the other end.

The 91–60 victory over Charleston provided encouraging evidence of the Gamecocks’ scoring ability. Edwards showed her value as an interior scorer and rebounder, Johnson delivered a productive offensive performance, and Lee demonstrated her perimeter shooting ability. Yet the 25 offensive rebounds allowed remain a legitimate point of evaluation.

Friday’s game against Benedict offers Staley another chance to assess whether the team has improved in that area. The result itself will matter less than the quality of South Carolina’s execution.

The question is straightforward: Can the Gamecocks turn defensive stops into completed possessions before they face Maryland?

A convincing win over Benedict would be welcome, but improved defensive rebounding would provide a more meaningful indication of progress.

Sources: South Carolina Athletics game report; College of Charleston Athletics; Benedict College Athletics; Southeastern Conference schedule; reporting on Chloe Kitts’ return.