Sophomore point guard Maddy McDaniel has been suspended and did not suit up for South Carolina's Tuesday night game against Clemson, the program announced just an hour prior to tipoff. Head coach Dawn Staley confirmed the suspended after her team's 65-37 win over the Tigers but declined to provide details.
“Doubt it,” Staley said when asked if McDaniel would be back for Saturday’s matchup. “That’s on her. We evaluate it every day.” Staley added that there is no timetable for McDaniel’s return.
Injury History and Team Impact
McDaniel has not played since the first half of the season opener against Grand Canyon. She exited the game with 4:04 left in the first half after banging knees with a defender setting a screen. Staley and team trainer Craig Oates helped her off the floor. At the time, Staley said McDaniel was "pretty tough" and downplayed the injury, joking that she wouldn't practice the next day before acknowledging it was an off day.
McDaniel averaged 3.1 points and 1.7 assists last season and was considered one of the early bright spots in 2024-25, even outplaying Raven Johnson for stretches before a concussion sidelined her post-Christmas.
Gamecocks Shorthanded Early in the Season
The Gamecocks are already dealing with a depleted roster. Ashlyn Watkins and Chloe Kitts both suffered season-ending injuries, Watkins also noting personal reasons for taking this season off. The losses leave Staley with just ten active players.
Despite the thin roster, South Carolina if off to a 3-0 start after routing Clemson on Tuesday. The team's early dominance includes wins by a combined 135 points, with the 28-point victory over the Tigers ironically being their smallest margin of the season so far. Still, McDaniel's absence looms large for depth and rotations, especially at point guard, where she and Johnson are the only two natural ball handlers on the roster.
Staley Keeps It Blunt
When asked directly if she would share why McDaniel was suspended, Staley simply replied, "No." For now, Gamecock fans will have to wait for updates on McDaniel's status as South Carolina continues its homestead.