Dawn Staley’s South Carolina Gamecocks’ season ended with a disappointing 51-79 loss against the UCLA Bruins in the National Championship game. The Gamecocks didn’t get enough time to process the loss as the transfer portal window opened on Tuesday.
Some new players will join the team, some might leave through the transfer portal, and there are some who played their last college career game with the Gamecocks. 6’4 forward Maryam Dauda is one of those players.
She joined the program in 2024, after spending the first two years of her college career with the Arkansas Razorbacks. Dauda came off the bench in 37 games for the Gamecocks this season, averaging over 11 minutes per outing.
She averaged 2.8 points and 2.9 rebounds in the limited time she spent on the floor. Recently, Staley and the rest of the team came together to bid farewell to Dauda.
“I just want to say, Maryam, you gave us all you had,” Staley said. “I appreciate you being who you are…like, the kind of great character human being that you are, I really do appreciate it.”
Staley said that although Dauda didn’t contribute a lot to the team during games, she made the Gamecocks better every day at practice.
“I have to credit Maryam with just being a high-character individual. Super-competitive and just being probably the greatest teammate through not playing, through being a senior, and, I mean, she’s never packed it in,” Staley said.
The Gamecocks’ head coach praised Dauda for understanding her role and giving her 100% to the team on every opportunity. Even though the Gamecocks fell short in the final game, Dauda deserves all the praise for everything she did during her run with South Carolina.
Dawn Staley on Maryam Dauda’s Impact
Staley said that Dauda has made an impact on every South Carolina player who has represented the program in the last two years. Dauda was able to do that so effectively because she understood what her role was.
The 6’4 forward acknowledged the role and said that the team’s success was always her top priority.
“I’m just cool with being a teammate. I felt like coming here and having the mindset of, like, winning,” she said. “And then if I’m not on the court, I’m cheering on my teammate. And if I’m on the court, they reciprocate the same energy for me.”
Staley said that Dauda’s impact on the South Carolina Gamecocks was “unmatched” both on and off the court.
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