Dawn Staley and the South Carolina Gamecocks dominated their 2025-26 women’s college basketball opener, routing Grand Canyon 94-54 last Monday. The Lopes were led by Winston Gandy, who previously assisted Staley with the Gamecocks.
Building on their win, the Gamecocks will face Bowling Green on Friday night, a team led by another former South Carolina assistant coach, Fred Chmiel. The three-time national champion coach expects another action-packed showdown, with defense becoming the focus of this regular-season clash.
Dawn Staley’s Expectations in South Carolina’s Matchup Against Bowling Green
During a media availability session in preparation for the Gamecocks’ game against the Falcons on Thursday, Staley was asked about what to expect of Chmiel’s team. The veteran bench tactician confidently stated that she’ll see a lot of man-to-man and 1-3-1 zone schemes that Chmiel used to implement when he was one of her assistant coaches.
Staley expects Chmiel to employ these defensive tactics in Friday’s game, so the team has focused on offensive schemes in practice to counter Bowling Green’s potential strategies.
On the defensive side, the South Carolina coach sees the Falcons putting up a balanced offense that would keep the Gamecocks playing honest defense.
“Offensively he’s going to drive it down our throats,” Staley said. “Like he’s going to force us to play good disciplined defense, which is something that we need. They can shoot the ball (they’re) really balanced.”
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Bowling Green showed their toughness on the road, beating Louisiana-Lafayette 82-67 in Monday’s season-opener at Cajundome in Lafayette, Louisiana. The Falcons overcame a slow first quarter to outplay the Ragin’ Cajuns in the next two, outscoring them 47-30 after trailing 20-16.
Paige Kohler led Bowling Green with 18 points, six rebounds, four assists, and two steals. Kohler attacked on both ends, drawing fouls for 14 free throws, making 12.
Taya Ellis added 11 points, seven rebounds, an assist, and a block, while Lauren Gerken came off the bench for an 11-point, 10-rebound double-double in 35 minutes. Bowling Green shot 51.9% and made 23-of-29 free throws. Despite a 13-6 fastbreak deficit, the Falcons ruled points in the paint, 44-34.
Meanwhile, Staley’s South Carolina jumped out early against Grand Canyon, leading 60-31 at the half before coasting to a 40-point win. Florida State transfer Ta’Niya Latson led South Carolina with 20 points; four teammates also scored in double figures. Tessa Johnson had 19 points, while Joyce Edwards, Madina Okot, and Raven Johnson combined for 36 points.
Tipoff for the South Carolina-Bowling Green encounter is scheduled for Friday, 7 p.m. ET at the Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina.