South Carolina has already demonstrated that it can win without having everything figured out. Its first three victories have shown the team’s scoring depth, defensive potential and ability to compete under difficult circumstances. However, Sunday’s meeting with No. 3 Southern California presents a different kind of examination for Dawn Staley’s team.
The question is not simply whether the Gamecocks have enough talent to defeat USC. They certainly have the personnel to compete with the Trojans. The more interesting question concerns how effectively South Carolina can organize its offense when faced with one of the country’s most talented backcourts.
That challenge begins at point guard.
An unexpected change has forced South Carolina to find another solution
South Carolina entered the 2026–27 season expecting Maddy McDaniel to help replace Raven Johnson, whose graduation left an important vacancy in the backcourt.
McDaniel’s departure changed those plans. She chose to leave the team to prioritize her mental health, a decision Staley supported. The coaching staff subsequently had to reconsider how it would distribute the responsibility of organizing the offense.
Brooke Quarles-Daniels’ successful eligibility petition provided another option. However, her arrival did not automatically resolve the situation.
Instead of appointing one player to control the position, Staley has explored a collective approach involving Tessa Johnson, Agot Makeer, Jerzy Robinson and Quarles-Daniels.
The arrangement gives South Carolina several players capable of handling the basketball, but it also requires adjustments in communication, decision-making and offensive positioning.
Staley has been clear about her philosophy. She does not want these players to abandon their natural strengths simply because they are asked to handle point guard responsibilities.
The objective is to work around their individual abilities while ensuring that the team continues to operate effectively.
That distinction could become particularly important against USC.
USC presents a different level of backcourt pressure
The Trojans arrive in Greenville with an undefeated record and an impressive offensive start.
Through their first three games, USC recorded 69 assists against 28 turnovers. Its 2.46 assist-to-turnover ratio ranked third nationally as of November 13.
Junior guard Ryann Bennett has been particularly efficient, recording 12 assists against just one turnover. Kennedy Smith has also contributed nine assists with three turnovers.
These numbers reveal something important about Lindsay Gottlieb’s team. USC does not depend exclusively on individual scoring performances. Its players are capable of creating opportunities for one another while protecting possession.
That becomes a significant consideration against a South Carolina team still developing its point guard rotation.
The Gamecocks cannot afford unnecessary turnovers that allow USC to establish its offensive rhythm. They must also recognize when to attack, when to distribute and when to slow the game down.
A team with several capable ball handlers can create difficult defensive assignments. However, that advantage only matters when the players make sound decisions.
JuJu Watkins makes the examination even more difficult
South Carolina’s defensive responsibilities will extend beyond managing USC’s passing game.
JuJu Watkins returns to this matchup after missing the previous season because of an ACL injury. Her return has immediately restored an important scoring threat to the Trojans’ backcourt.
Watkins averaged 24.3 points through her first two games, while freshman Saniyah Hall has averaged 22 points through three consecutive 20-point performances.
Jazzy Davidson provides another major offensive option. The sophomore opened the season with a 23-point performance against UNLV and followed that with another productive outing against College of Charleston.
These players create a difficult problem for opposing defenses.
South Carolina cannot concentrate exclusively on Watkins without accounting for Davidson and Hall. Each player has demonstrated the ability to contribute significant scoring production.
This is where the Gamecocks’ guard rotation becomes especially important.
Tessa Johnson, Agot Makeer, Jerzy Robinson and Quarles-Daniels must help control the offensive responsibilities while also handling difficult defensive assignments.
They will need to recognize USC’s offensive actions quickly, communicate through defensive switches and avoid giving the Trojans unnecessary advantages.
The challenge is not limited to getting the basketball across half court. It is about making the correct decisions once the defense is established.
South Carolina has an advantage it should use more often
There is another aspect of this matchup that deserves attention.
South Carolina does not have to rely exclusively on its guards to initiate offense.
Joyce Edwards and Chloe Kitts provide additional ball-handling options in the frontcourt. Their ability to receive the ball and help initiate possessions could reduce the pressure on the developing point guard rotation.
This is particularly relevant against a USC team with considerable size.
The Trojans have an average roster height of approximately 6-foot-1, with nine of their 12 players standing taller than six feet. Their frontcourt includes 6-foot-5 center Sara Okeke and 6-foot-6 center Pania Davis.
South Carolina can make USC defend more than one type of offensive action.
If Edwards and Kitts can help facilitate possessions, the Gamecocks could create opportunities for their guards to operate in more natural scoring positions rather than carrying the entire responsibility of organizing the offense.
That approach would also make it more difficult for USC to anticipate where South Carolina intends to initiate its attack.
Staley’s challenge is to use that versatility without making the offense unnecessarily complicated.
The international connection adds another interesting dimension
There is also an unusual connection between these programs.
Several players expected to influence Sunday’s game have already competed alongside one another in international basketball.
Joyce Edwards and USC’s Kennedy Smith shared gold-medal success with the United States at the 2024 FIBA U18 Women’s AmeriCup. They reunited for the 2025 FIBA Women’s AmeriCup.
Jazzy Davidson and Kennedy Smith also won gold alongside South Carolina’s Joyce Edwards and Jordan Lee at the 2024 competition.
The connections continued at the 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup, where Davidson and Hall competed alongside South Carolina’s Jordan Lee and Jerzy Robinson.
Hall earned tournament MVP honors.
These experiences provide an interesting background to Sunday’s contest. Several players who previously represented the same country now have to prepare to compete against one another.
Their familiarity could influence how they approach individual matchups, although international experience does not automatically determine what happens in a college game.
It is another reason this meeting offers more than an ordinary non-conference matchup.
Dawn Staley does not need a traditional point guard. She needs a reliable system.
The most important development for South Carolina may not be identifying one permanent starting point guard.
The more immediate priority is establishing a reliable offensive structure that allows different players to assume responsibility without disrupting the team’s rhythm.
Staley acknowledged that the position remains a work in progress ahead of Sunday’s game.
That assessment should not be interpreted as an admission that the Gamecocks are incapable of competing with elite opposition. South Carolina has already won three games, including victories over Maryland and North Carolina.
However, those performances do not eliminate the need for continued improvement.
Against USC, every possession will matter. The Gamecocks must protect the basketball, recognize defensive pressure and create quality scoring opportunities without becoming dependent on individual efforts.
Their frontcourt versatility could provide an important solution, while the experience of their returning players should help the younger guards adjust.
Sunday’s game offers an opportunity to measure how far that development has progressed.
The question Gamecock fans should watch on Sunday
The attention will naturally fall on Joyce Edwards, Chloe Kitts, JuJu Watkins, Saniyah Hall and Jazzy Davidson. Their performances will have a considerable influence on the outcome.
But there is another battle that could determine how effectively South Carolina executes its game plan.
Can Tessa Johnson, Agot Makeer, Jerzy Robinson and Brooke Quarles-Daniels manage the responsibilities of the point guard position against a USC backcourt that has demonstrated excellent offensive organization?
If they can protect possession, make timely decisions and create opportunities for their teammates, South Carolina will have another important dimension to its offense.
If USC successfully disrupts that arrangement, Staley may have to make adjustments during the game.
The Gamecocks are not expected to have every question answered in November. However, this is precisely the kind of opponent that can reveal which parts of the system are ready for championship-level competition.
South Carolina already has the talent. Sunday’s challenge is to demonstrate that its evolving backcourt can operate effectively against one of the country’s best teams.
The biggest matchup might not be between the leading scorers. It might be between USC’s established offensive organization and South Carolina’s developing solution at point guard.
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