NCAAW: No. 1 South Carolina begins title defense in Vegas vs. Michigan

Established excellence brings high expectations.

That’s where No. 1 South Carolina finds themselves as the 2024-25 NCAAW season begins. The defending national champs’ season tips off on Monday evening in Las Vegas against Michigan in the Hall of Fame Series (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT/TruTV). Anything less than a 40th-straight win in dominating fashion will be perceived as a disappointment for head coach Dawn Staley’s squad.

The Gamecocks return all but one player—Kamilla Cardoso, the No. 3 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft—from last season’s undefeated, championship-winning team. (Currently, junior forward Ashlyn Watkins remains away from the team.) They also added another highly-regarded freshman class, headlined by forward Joyce Edwards. The No. 3-ranked recruit and Gatorade National Player of the Year, the 6-foot-3 Edwards profiles as game-changing force. Her combination of strength and skill should make her hard for opponents to handle in the post, as she can score with craft or power around the basket, in addition to controlling the glass as a rebounder. On top of that, she possesses some passing chops and an ability to handle in transition, equipping her with a multi-dimensional skillet rare for a player of her size. In the Gamecocks’ first exhibition game, she posted a double-double of 19 points and 12 rebounds in just 18 minutes. The second exhibition contest saw her go for another double-double of 20 points and 11 boards.

So while Edwards’ game is different from that of the 6-foot-6 Cardoso, a traditional center who rolled to the basket, rebounded and protected the rim, she, like Cardoso, could be South Carolina’s “separator,” the player who takes the Gamecocks from great to greatness. Expect redshirt freshman Adhel Tac, a 6-foot-5 forward who was with the team last season but did not play, to fill the skillset vacated by Cardoso.

It’s less likely that the Gamecocks’ third freshman, 5-foot-9 guard Maddy McDaniel, will have significant opportunity to contribute. That’s not a slight on McDaniel, a top-15 recruit in the class of 2024. Rather, South Carolina’s backcourt is stacked, as senior Te-Hina Paopao, junior Raven Johnson and sophomore MiLaysia Fulwiley represent the most talented guard triumvirate in the country, brining a combination of pick-and-roll mastery, pull-up proficiency, point-of-attack defense and fastbreak fury. If McDaniel does debut, it likely will be due to a demonstrable South Carolina advantage on the scoreboard.

To surprise the nation and prevent such a situation, Michigan will be relying on their youngsters. As our Chelsea Leite noted last week when identifying the freshmen to watch in 2024-25, the Wolverines claim two of the class’ most intriguing talents: guard Syla Swords and forward Olivia Olson. With last season’s leading scorer, Laila Phelia, opting to leave Ann Arbor for Austin, there is an opportunity for Swords and Olson to become instant-impact stars for a Michigan team not expected to contend in the now-bigger Big Ten. Among returners, only senior guard Jordan Hobbs saw significant minutes for the Wolverines last season. The team’s leading assister who shot almost 38 percent from 3, she’ll be counted on to put her young teammates in favorable positions to score with her passing and floor spacing. However, outside of Hobbs spearheading an incredibly hot and high-volume 3-point shooting night for the Maize and Blue, expect them to be outmatched under Vegas’ bright lights.