South Carolina could be short-handed for its NCAA Tournament First Four matchup against No. 16 seed Southern, as two players may be unavailable.
During Friday’s practice, head coach Dawn Staley confirmed that Maddy McDaniel missed time due to illness, though there is optimism she could recover in time to play.
Meanwhile, Adhel Tac continues to deal with a lower leg injury and did not participate in practice, instead working on the side while still wearing a protective boot.
Tac has already missed the Gamecocks’ last 10 games, with her most recent appearance coming on Feb. 5 against Mississippi State.
Final decisions on both players’ availability will be revealed in official NCAA Tournament reports ahead of Saturday’s game.
Elsewhere, Ta’Niya Latson appeared to be progressing as she practiced without the knee brace she has worn since early February, while Joyce Edwards participated fully despite wearing a wrap on her shoulder.
Even if McDaniel and Tac are unable to play, South Carolina remains heavily favored against Southern, with history strongly on the Gamecocks’ side, as No. 1 seeds have almost never lost to No. 16 seeds in the women’s NCAA Tournament.
