Balanced offense and steady defense carried coach Dawn Staley’s South Carolina team to a dominant 94-54 win over Grand Canyon University on Nov. 3. Every starter scored in double figures, setting an early tone for a team once again expected to contend for a national title.
However, despite the impressive win, all eyes were on Maddy McDaniel, as the Gamecocks’ star went down after a scary-looking injury.
What Happened to Maddy McDaniel?
South Carolina was dominant from start to finish in their debut. The guard trio of Tessa Johnson, Ta’Niya Latson, and Raven Johnson combined for 50 points to anchor the No. 2 Gamecocks. However, one name that garnered a lot of attention was point guard Maddy McDaniel. With only eight minutes of playing time, McDaniel went down after an awkward collision.
She went to the locker room and did not return. Despite the scary-looking incident, Staley said that she was “not too worried” and thinks it was just a knee-on-knee situation.
Dawn Staley on Maddy McDaniel: thinks it was a knee to knee thing, said she’s tough and not too worried but didn’t give a crazy detailed update
No practice for South Carolina tomorrow regardless
— Lulu Kesin (@LuluKesin) November 4, 2025
With the McDaniel injury, Latson went on to lead all scorers with 20 points in her first official game since transferring from Florida State, showing her ability to create offense both in transition and off the dribble. Tessa Johnson followed with 19 points on 8-for-13 shooting, including three makes from beyond the arc that helped stretch Grand Canyon’s defense.
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In the frontcourt, Joyce Edwards added 13 points while Madina Okot finished with 12, giving South Carolina balanced scoring inside to complement its backcourt production. Raven Johnson turned in an all-around performance with 11 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, and three steals, narrowly missing a triple-double.
The Gamecocks built their lead early behind efficient shooting, hitting nine 3-pointers in the first half alone. Their defensive intensity and ball movement kept Grand Canyon on its heels throughout the game, limiting second-chance opportunities.
“That was the goal,” Latson said. “We wanted to get a lot of 3s, especially the guards. Coming out, we had to shoot them, especially good open shots. We just had to create for each other.”
South Carolina now turns its focus to a home matchup against Bowling Green on Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. ET on SEC Network+, aiming to refine its rotations and continue its strong start to the season.