COLUMBIA — Star forward and the reigning SEC Tournament MVP Chloe Kitts tore her ACL and will miss the 2025-26 season, leaving coach Dawn Staley with 10 South Carolina women’s basketball players.
Kitts and the program announced the news Oct. 13, and the Gamecocks open up 2025-26 with a home game against Grand Canyon on Nov. 3.
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Staley was already without Ashlyn Watkins, who tore her ACL in January and was expected to return midseason but is instead taking an entire year off from school and basketball.
What Chloe Kitts injury means for Joyce Edwards, South Carolina
There’s a 15-scholarship limit, but Staley only had 12 players on scholarship this summer. Watkins is no longer on scholarship as she is not enrolled in school, which means Staley currently has 11 but just 10 healthy players.
Within those 10 is Joyce Edwards, returning for her sophomore season after leading the team in scoring with 12.7 points. Edwards will presumably start for Staley now.
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Her role just grew but until the NCAA tournament last year, she was consistent and met the moment. The loss of Kitts is significant but so is having Edwards on the roster.
From Dec. 15 to Feb. 2 Edwards scored in double figures in 11 out of 12 games, eight of those being SEC games. That includes a five-game stretch where she scored 17 or more points, all over ranked conference opponents, with a high of 21 against Alabama.
Her season high was 28 points against Florida, and her SEC Tournament high was 21 against Oklahoma.
She had 13 points and 11 rebounds in the Final Four win over Texas and 10 points in the national championship loss to UConn.
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In February, four-time WNBA MVP and three time WNBA champion A’ja Wilson returned to South Carolina for her jersey retirement and spoke highly of Edwards.
“Joyce, her IQ is something that’s going to take her far,” Wilson said. “I think she is already becoming a pro at a young age of a freshman … to have that patience and that IQ right now and understanding how to read the defense and how you’re being played, that is what you don’t learn, probably until you’re in the pros.”
Wilson added she does see a little bit of herself in Edwards, complimenting Edwards’ footwork on offense.
RE-READ: Why WNBA star A’ja Wilson said South Carolina freshman Joyce Edwards already plays like a pro
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How Chloe Kitts injury impacts transfer Madina Okot, a 6-6 center
Madina Okot transferred in from Mississippi State this offseason. She’s a 6-6 center and will also now presumably start.
The size and SEC experience she brings is vital for Staley, especially without Kitts. Last year South Carolina lacked a true center and some teams exposed that.
Kitts led the team in rebounding (7.7), with Watkins next at 6.1 in 14 games. Okot will have to pick up the pieces and rebound for the Gamecocks, especially since even with Kitts on the floor last year, it was an issue at times.
Okot averaged 11.3 points and a team-high 9.6 rebounds for Mississippi State last season. Her season rebounding average ranked fourth in the SEC, and that number rose to 10.1 per SEC game.
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Why Dawn Staley needs Maryam Dauda to step up after Chloe Kitts injury
Okot and Edwards will need rest and help at times, which is where Maryam Dauda comes in.
Dauda transferred from Arkansas in May 2024, and in her first season with the Gamecocks, averaged 6.4 minutes and two points. For the Razorbacks, she averaged 10.1 points in 2023-24.
Her confidence grew as South Carolina made a deep tournament run, and she spent the offseason working with intentions of making a huge leap.
She has the size (6-4) and length to disrupt an offense, which she did in the SEC tournament with Oklahoma star Raegan Beers. Plus, she can shoot 3-pointers, so she’s a valuable asset especially as Staley works in her freshmen, knowing she can shift Dauda anywhere from the three to the five.
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South Carolina women’s basketball forwards 2025-26
Adhel Tac, a 6-5 forward/center, rounds out the front court for Staley. Tac redshirted the 2023-24 season while rehabbing a knee injury and had lingering injury issues last year. She averaged 3.8 minutes and 1.6 points per game in 2024-25.
Tac may be called upon more than ever this season but hasn’t had much game experience since 2022, which was the high school level.
Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at lkesin@gannett.com. Follow her on X@Lulukesin and Bluesky@bylulukesin.bsky.social
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This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Chloe Kitts injury impacts Joyce Edwards most on South Carolina roster
