In a season riddled with injuries for South Carolina women's basketball, sophomore guard Maddy McDaniel has found a role in coming off the bench for the Gamecocks. The 5-foot-9-inch Maryland native has contributed as a key distributor on offense and consistent agitator defensively.
South Carolina has been dominant this season, boasting a 24-2 record and having won 17 of its last 18 games. The team is 10-1 in conference play following a record-breaking 43-point victory over No. 19 Tennessee, the largest win over a ranked opponent in program history.
In the 10 games where McDaniel saw action before Jan. 1, she notched over 20 minutes in just three of those. After the new year, she's seen 20-plus minutes of playing time in nine of the 11 games she has appeared in. McDaniel is up to an average of 20.5 minutes per game on the season, and her increased role following injuries to senior guard Ta'Niya Latson and freshman guard Agot Makeer has boded notable production.
McDaniel dealt with injuries herself early on. She went down with a knee injury in the season opener, and while recovering, she was suspended by the team for undisclosed reasons. She missed four total full games.
Getting back to the court, it has been McDaniel's ability to generate opportunities for the team that has made the most impact during South Carolina's recent success. Her 62 assists this season are the fifth-most on the team. Of the five Gamecocks with over 60 assists this season, McDaniels' 430 minutes on the court are the fewest by over 170 minutes, a testament to her efficiency when on the floor.
When the team hosted No. 5 Vanderbilt on Jan. 25, McDaniel saw 28 minutes in the 29-point victory. She dished out four assists, but more importantly, took on the challenge of containing the SEC's leading scorer in Commodores sophomore guard Mikayla Blakes, who's averaging 25.9 points per game this season. The Gamecocks held her to 23.
"I thought Maddy did a great job," head coach Dawn Staley said. "She really just stayed in (Blakes') pocket, and Mikayla did make some shots, but we want her to make hard shots ... I thought we did a good job of just corralling and making sure she didn’t get outside of us with her right hand."
She's been equally reliable on the defensive end. Her 25 steals this season place as the fifth-highest mark on the team. The four Gamecocks with more have each seen the court for 590-plus minutes. McDaniel posted a season-high four steals in the team's 30-point win over Auburn earlier this month.
"Maddy ran the show," Staley said. "I just thought she elevated our play on both sides of the basketball. She is young, but she’s starting to mature and doing the things that we need point guards to do. Score, facilitate, play make, organize us. She did all of those things tonight and I’m proud of her."
The second-year guard earned her first start of her career on Feb. 2 against Texas A&M, posting 7 points along with three assists and three steals. South Carolina's lineup combination in that game was the sixth unique group for the team this season. Three days later, freshman guard Ayla McDowell received the first start of her career as well.
"Me and Maddie, we have a pretty good connection," McDowell said. "We've been working together, especially in the second unit, and ... our connection is growing throughout the year."
McDowell had 16 points, five rebounds and three steals in the start. Coming off the bench, McDaniel tied her career-high in points with 10, adding six assists, two rebounds and a steal.
"They’re ready," Staley said. "They logged enough minutes to be able to play anyway. Starting lineup, being the boost off the bench. They’ve earned it. They’ve played well when their numbers been called."
This year, McDaniel was one of 65 players recognized with the Kay Yow Servant Leader Award. Players are nominated by their coaches, and the award is given to those who have helped in some capacity in the fight against all cancers affecting women. McDaniel's mother previously battled with ovarian cancer.
“It means a lot,” McDaniel told GamecockCentral. “Just to be able to honor my mom and what she went through, it means a lot to be able to go on the floor and play for her every game.”
The 20-year-old guard looks to continue making the most of her minutes on the court in the Gamecocks' national title efforts.
McDaniel missed the team's latest game with an undisclosed injury. She remains day-to-day ahead of the team's road trip to Death Valley Saturday to take on No. 6 LSU.