South Carolina Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley did not mince her words while discussing the stipulation handed to one of her players, Maddy McDaniel, during a recent interview. On Wednesday, Nov. 12, coach Staley and the Gamecocks defeated coach Shawn Poppie and the Clemson Tigers 65-37 in their third game of the 2025-26 season and their non-conference schedule, on their home floor, the Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina.
During the post-game press conference, Staley was asked several questions regarding the suspension handed down to their sophomore guard, Maddy McDaniel. Moments before the game against the Tigers, the Gamecocks announced that they are suspending McDaniel indefinitely, without providing a reason.
“I doubt it,” Staley answered if McDaniel will return at some point in the current season. “That’s on her. That’s on her. So, we’ll evaluate it every day.”
The tenured tactician was also shady when it came to responding to the question of whether she had any more details about it. She said:
“That’s it.”
“South Carolina announced prior to last night’s game against Clemson that sophomore Maddy McDaniel had been suspended. (via South Carolina Gamecocks/YT),” @brwsports on Instagram captioned.
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McDaniel was seen wearing a knee brace on her right knee before the Gamecocks took on the Bowling Green Falcons on Friday, Nov. 7, for their second game of the season, which they won by an astounding 67 points, 114-47, on their home court. McDaniel participated in that game’s warm-ups but was considered questionable for the matchup before eventually sitting out.
While there is no indication yet as to why the Gamecocks’ program suspended McDaniel, Staley’s responses suggest that there may be internal issues within her team. The second-year standout has had only one appearance this campaign, which came in the Gamecocks’ first game of the year against the Grand Canyon Lopes on Nov. 3. South Carolina won that game, 94-54.
Read More: South Carolina Women’s Basketball Schedule: Top 5 Takeaways As Tessa Johnson, Chloe Kitts Headline Dawn Staley’s 2025–26 Squad
The South Carolina Gamecocks Won Convincingly Over The Clemson Tigers Without Maddy McDaniel
It seems as though coach Dawn Staley and the South Carolina Gamecocks did not need Maddy McDaniel’s services against the Clemson Tigers.
The South Carolina-based team beat the Tigers by a staggering 28 points, 65-37. The Gamecocks now hold an undefeated early record of 3-0, as they are set to face their first-ranked USC Trojans next on Saturday, Nov. 15.
