COLUMBIA — The memories of missing open shots will likely stick with South Carolina women's basketball for awhile.
In the national championship against UCLA, the usually-efficient Gamecocks' offense just couldn't score.
It's potentially misleading however that the 79-51 loss was the final display of coach Dawn Staley's 2025-26 team. The same group that shot 16.7% in the first quarter in the title game finished with the best offense in program history, averaging 85.6 points, which was fourth in nation.
The Gamecocks also averaged a program-best 46 points in the paint, 21.4 points off turnovers and 19 fast-break points per game.
South Carolina is also the only SEC women's basketball team to not lose a player to the transfer portal this year.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 30: Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks reacts with Joyce Edwards #8 in the game against the TCU Horned Frogs during the fourth quarter in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Golden 1 Center on March 30, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)TAMPA, FLORIDA - APRIL 04: Chloe Kitts #21 of the South Carolina Gamecocks celebrates after beating the Texas Longhorns 74-57 in the Final Four game of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Amalie Arena on April 04, 2025 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)Apr 3, 2026; Phoenix, AZ, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks guard Tessa Johnson (5) celebrates after defeating the UConn Huskies during a semifinal of the Final Four of the women's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn ImagesFORT WORTH, TEXAS - DECEMBER 08: Ashlyn Watkins #2 of the South Carolina Gamecocks drives against Aaliyah Roberson #23 of the TCU Horned Frogs during the second half in the USLBM Coast to Coast Challenge Hoopfest Women’s Basketball Classic at Dickies Arena on December 08, 2024 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)South Carolina Gamecocks guard Agot Makeer (44) celebrates their 62-48 win over the Connecticut Huskies in their NCAA Women's Final Four semifinal game at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 3, 2026.Mar 30, 2026; Sacramento, CA, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks guard Maddy McDaniel (1) pushes the ball up the court during the first quarter of the game against the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs in an Elite Eight game in the Sacramento Regional 4 of the women's 2026 NCAA Tournament at the Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn ImagesSACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 30: Alicia Tournebize #31 of the South Carolina Gamecocks brings the ball up the court against the TCU Horned Frogs during the first quarter in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Golden 1 Center on March 30, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thien-An Truong/Getty Images)COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA - JANUARY 25: Adhel Tac #15 of the South Carolina Gamecocks reacts in the second half against the Vanderbilt Commodores during their game at Colonial Life Arena on January 25, 2026 in Columbia, South Carolina. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)Mar 21, 2026; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks guard Ayla McDowell (24) drives against the Southern Jaguars in the first half at Colonial Life Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images1 / 9Dawn Staley's South Carolina women's basketball 2026-27 roster with portal additionsSACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 30: Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks reacts with Joyce Edwards #8 in the game against the TCU Horned Frogs during the fourth quarter in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Golden 1 Center on March 30, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)1 / 9Dawn Staley's South Carolina women's basketball 2026-27 roster with portal additionsSACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 30: Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks reacts with Joyce Edwards #8 in the game against the TCU Horned Frogs during the fourth quarter in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Golden 1 Center on March 30, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)2 / 9Dawn Staley's South Carolina women's basketball 2026-27 roster with portal additionsTAMPA, FLORIDA - APRIL 04: Chloe Kitts #21 of the South Carolina Gamecocks celebrates after beating the Texas Longhorns 74-57 in the Final Four game of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Amalie Arena on April 04, 2025 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)3 / 9Dawn Staley's South Carolina women's basketball 2026-27 roster with portal additionsApr 3, 2026; Phoenix, AZ, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks guard Tessa Johnson (5) celebrates after defeating the UConn Huskies during a semifinal of the Final Four of the women's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images4 / 9Dawn Staley's South Carolina women's basketball 2026-27 roster with portal additionsFORT WORTH, TEXAS - DECEMBER 08: Ashlyn Watkins #2 of the South Carolina Gamecocks drives against Aaliyah Roberson #23 of the TCU Horned Frogs during the second half in the USLBM Coast to Coast Challenge Hoopfest Women’s Basketball Classic at Dickies Arena on December 08, 2024 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)5 / 9Dawn Staley's South Carolina women's basketball 2026-27 roster with portal additionsSouth Carolina Gamecocks guard Agot Makeer (44) celebrates their 62-48 win over the Connecticut Huskies in their NCAA Women's Final Four semifinal game at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 3, 2026.6 / 9Dawn Staley's South Carolina women's basketball 2026-27 roster with portal additionsMar 30, 2026; Sacramento, CA, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks guard Maddy McDaniel (1) pushes the ball up the court during the first quarter of the game against the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs in an Elite Eight game in the Sacramento Regional 4 of the women's 2026 NCAA Tournament at the Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images7 / 9Dawn Staley's South Carolina women's basketball 2026-27 roster with portal additionsSACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 30: Alicia Tournebize #31 of the South Carolina Gamecocks brings the ball up the court against the TCU Horned Frogs during the first quarter in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Golden 1 Center on March 30, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thien-An Truong/Getty Images)8 / 9Dawn Staley's South Carolina women's basketball 2026-27 roster with portal additionsCOLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA - JANUARY 25: Adhel Tac #15 of the South Carolina Gamecocks reacts in the second half against the Vanderbilt Commodores during their game at Colonial Life Arena on January 25, 2026 in Columbia, South Carolina. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)9 / 9Dawn Staley's South Carolina women's basketball 2026-27 roster with portal additionsMar 21, 2026; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks guard Ayla McDowell (24) drives against the Southern Jaguars in the first half at Colonial Life Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn ImagesThat roster retention is meaningful coming off what was statistically an impressive season.
They finished fourth in the nation in field goal percentage (50%), sixth in FG% defense (34.8%), third in winning percentage (90%) and fourth in scoring margin (27.8).
There's no total revamp needed but rather some big picture things that should carry over, in addition to slight fixes or improvements when trying to go from two national championship losses in a row to a win.
There were many elements that played into how productive South Carolina's offense was like strong ball movement and all five starters nearly averaging double-digits. There also was Joyce Edwards, who made a leap from her freshman to her sophomore season.
She went from 12.7 points per game to 19.2, setting a program single-season scoring record with 768 points.
She helped South Carolina shoot 54.2% on two-pointers (10th in the nation) but she had guard talent around her to help when she or 6-6 center Madina Okot were swarmed around the rim.
Midway through the season, particularly after the Oklahoma loss on Jan. 22, it felt like Edwards was more comfortable kicking it out to guards like Ta'Niya Latson, Raven Johnson and Tessa Johnson instead of trying to force it inside to draw a foul.
The scouts Edwards faces won't get any easier. So with Latson and Raven Johnson now in the WNBA, a few things need to happen to carry over that offensive success.
Point guard Maddy McDaniel will be even stronger if she develops as a mid-range threat, instead of attacking all the way each time.
Tessa Johnson has to be a bit more consistent as a senior, as she's had streaks of cold offense the past two seasons. She's the first to admit she has to impact the game in other ways when her 3-point shot isn't falling. So if she's continuously driving or kicking it out, she either scores or opens up more chances for her teammates but she can't go invisible.
Staley also needs that same offensive attack she had with Latson in Texas transfer Jordan Lee. The 6-foot guard knows how to create her own shot in the SEC systems so her transition might be smoother than Latson's was at first.
If Lee starts, that means Agot Makeer is likely coming off the bench. She doesn't force shots, she attacks downhill while still posing a threat from the 3-point line, and she might have a similar jump from her freshman to sophomore year like Edwards did.
Opposing coaches often talked about having to pick their battles with defending South Carolina given how balanced its attack was. The obvious difference from 2024-25 to 2025-26 was the Gamecocks didn't struggle to score except for rare occasions, and roster wise, it has the pieces for that to happen again.
Okot averaged an SEC-best 10.6 rebounds in her lone season with South Carolina. Behind her was Edwards at 6.8.
In the title game, UCLA destroyed South Carolina on the boards (49-37) and a lot of that was because Okot lost the battle against 6-foot-7 Lauren Betts. Opponents averaged 12.4 offensive rebounds per game against the Gamecocks and in all four losses, they lost the rebounding battle by an average of 10.7.