Dawn Staley isn’t talking about a USC repeat. But there’s lots to like about new team

This time last year, no one knew what to make of South Carolina women’s basketball. Not even head coach Dawn Staley.

“Expect the unexpected,” was her mantra at the team’s first official practice. Her stalwarts (the Freshies) were gone. In their place rose a young, talented but unproven and later referred to as “out of shape” group of ballers. It wasn’t until USC’s 100-71 season-opening victory over then-No. 10 Notre Dame in Paris that Staley knew she had something special.

Five months (and one day) later, the Gamecocks completed their first undefeated national championship season. 38-0. Perfection. They flushed out the heartbreak of 36-1 from 2022-23 with happy tears.

“Revenge tour” complete.

Upon returning to Columbia with the NCAA championship trophy in tow, starting point guard Raven Johnson (who came up with the “revenge tour” moniker) christened the 2024-25 season with a name of its own:

“The ‘revenge tour’ is over,” Johnson said at Colonial Life Arena the day after defeating Iowa in Cleveland, beaming behind her massive March Madness shades. “Now it’s time for the ‘repeat tour.’ ”

“Revenge tour.” “Repeat tour.” Neither means much to Staley, she told local reporters Tuesday, a day after the team’s first official practice. To be the chaser or the chased of the preseason is whatever. So long as USC is No. 1 by season’s end.

After replacing all five starters in 2023-24, the Gamecocks are missing just one from their national championship squad. Final Four Most Outstanding Player Kamilla Cardoso was drafted No. 3 overall by the WNBA’s Chicago Sky in May. This summer Arkansas transfer Maryam Dauda, No. 2 overall recruit Joyce Edwards and speedy point guard Maddy McDaniel joined South Carolina in her stead.

Even with forward Ashlyn Watkins’ 2024-25 status unknown following her Aug. 31 arrest on first-degree assault and kidnapping charges and subsequent suspension, the Gamecocks seem to be in good shape. If Watkins is able to play this season, she could have a Defensive Player of the Year caliber season after posting USC’s best defensive rating in 2023-24 (even better than Cardoso, who was a finalist for Naismith DPOY) and snagging 20 rebounds in the national semifinal game versus N.C. State.

If she doesn’t play, South Carolina still has 2023-24 starter Chloe Kitts, senior Sania Feagin (who just won MVP and gold with Team USA at the U23 3x3 World Cup), Dauda, Edwards and redshirt freshman Adhel Tac all available to play the four spot. Super senior Sakima Walker is the only center listed on the roster.

Still, replacing all 6-foot-7 of Cardoso will be a challenge. Staley said Tuesday she feels like South Carolina doesn’t have a go-to post player for the first time in 10 years, predating the A’ja Wilson era.

“We’ve got some younger players that have some potential to be, but they haven’t had enough experience in practice or in game to really deem them that,” she said.

For now, it’ll be a collective effort from the bigs and the guards.

Speaking of guards, USC returns starting backcourt duo Johnson and Te-Hina Paopao along with sharpshooter Bree Hall and rising sophomores MiLaysia Fulwiley and All-Final Four team player Tessa Johnson.

Fulwiley was one of the most electric players in the country last season, having caught NBA great Magic Johnson’s attention in her collegiate debut. She also became the first freshman to win the SEC Tournament’s Most Valuable Player Award since Tennessee’s Candace Parker in 2006. Over the summer, Staley talked about Fulwiley’s Year 2 goal of becoming a starter.

“We know she’s a generational talent,” Staley said Tuesday. “We know that. There’s no doubt about that. The things that she does that no other female can do. It’s all this stuff that’s underneath being generational that you’ve got to consistently be good at.”

New year, same goal for the Gamecocks. “Dawn’s Daycare,” her free-spirited, TikTok-obsessed group of ball players are back at it again. Their mission: repeat.

No, they haven’t graduated to preschool yet, Staley quipped. But if daycare means USC can add a fourth national championship to its résumé?

Well, “Let’s go daycare,” she said.

South Carolina women’s basketball 2024-25 schedule

• Oct. 15: at Memphis, 9:30 p.m. (Exh.)

• Oct. 28: vs. Clayton State, TBA (Exh.)

• Nov. 4: vs. Michigan in Las Vegas, TBA

• Nov. 10: vs. N.C. State in Charlotte, 3 p.m. (ESPN)

• Nov. 14: vs. Coppin State, TBA

• Nov. 17: vs. East Carolina, TBA

• Nov. 20: at Clemson, TBA

• Nov. 24: at UCLA, TBA

• Nov. 28: vs. Iowa State (Fort Myers Tipoff), 12 p.m.

• Nov. 30: vs. Purdue (Fort Myers Tipoff), 11 a.m.

• Dec. 5: vs. Duke (ACC-SEC Challenge), TBA

• Dec. 8: at TCU (Hoopfest Women’s Basketball Classic), 7 p.m.

• Dec. 15: vs USF, TBA

• Dec. 19: vs. Charleston Southern, TBA

• Dec. 29: vs. Wofford, TBA

• Jan. 2: at Missouri, TBA

• Jan. 5: at Mississippi State, TBA

• Jan. 9: vs. Texas A&M, TBA

• Jan. 12: vs. Texas, TBA

• Jan. 16: at Alabama, TBA

• Jan. 19: vs. Oklahoma, TBA

• Jan. 23: vs. LSU, TBA

• Jan. 27: at Tennessee, TBA

• Feb. 2: vs Auburn, TBA

• Feb. 6: at Georgia, TBA

• Feb. 9: at Texas, TBA

• Feb. 13: vs. Florida, TBA

• Feb. 16: vs. UConn, TBA

• Feb. 20: vs. Arkansas, TBA

• Feb. 23: at Vanderbilt, TBA

• Feb. 27: at Ole Miss, TBA

• March 2: vs. Kentucky, TBA

• March 5-9: SEC Tournament in Greenville, S.C.