"Might have to pull that rabbit out of our hat": Dawn Staley on how South Carolina will cope after losing Ashlyn Watkins for the season

Coach Dawn Staley and the South Carolina Gamecocks are off to a strong start in the 2024-25 SEC season with a 2-0 record. They cruised to a 95-68 victory over the surging Mississippi State Bulldogs on Jan. 6, underscoring their position as defending national champions poised for another deep run in March.

Unfortunately for Staley and the rest of the team, their national title hopes hit a significant roadblock with the recent announcement that stalwart Ashlyn Watkins will sit out for the rest of the season to recover from an ACL injury she suffered in the Sunday conference showcase.

Now, they are preparing for a hotly contested meeting with the Texas A&M Aggies on Thursday, aiming for their 10th straight overall victory. During their practice session, Staley addressed how she plans to adjust the Gamecocks' game plan without Watkins in the post.

"It's the next woman up. If that next woman up isn't ready right now, we'll continue to get in here, in practices, to try to expedite that. Then in the games, we might need to try something different, might need to play small ball," Staley said. (Timestamp: 0:03)

"The last time we lost a big such as Ashlyn, we played small ball. It worked out for us, and we might have to pull that rabbit out our hat."

Staley and the Gamecocks are in the midst of their national championship-defending season, and through 15 games, they have looked poised to achieve the feat of a title repeat. They are 15-1 overall, with an undefeated 2-0 record thus far in the conference.

The South Carolina faithful and the rest of college basketball will have to wait and see on Jan. 9 against the Aggies how exactly Staley initiates a new system for her team that could have to play smaller.

Who can step up for the Gamecocks in Ashlyn Watkins' absence?

As a starting third-year forward for Dawn Staley, Ashlyn Watkins is one of the premier players down low for the Gamecocks. Equipped with national championship experience from last year, she has averaged 7.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.9 blocks per game this season.

Watkins' absence for the rest of the campaign will require players such as senior Sania Feagin to step up. Perhaps established sixth woman MiLaysia Fulwiley could see some games where she's starting, as Staley alluded to a potential small-ball lineup.