South Carolina women's basketball getting healthier ahead of top 5 showdown
South Carolina women’s basketball will be without forward Ashlyn Watkins for the rest of the season. The dynamic defender tore her ACL last weekend against Mississippi State. However, when she went down, the Gamecocks were without fellow post player Sakima Walker and guard Maddy McDaniel.
Now, ahead of the biggest SEC game of the season, Dawn Staley’s team is getting healthier. When the Gamecocks and Texas Longhorns battle, USC will have just one player out.
On Saturday night’s SEC-mandated availability report, South Carolina only included Watkins. Walker, who played in her first game since November earlier this week, handled her return to action well and seems ready to continue contributing. McDaniel, who suffered a concussion in December, will be active for the game, as well.
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Texas will be without two players for Sunday’s contest. Guard Laila Phelia has been dealing with an eye injury and remains out. 6’9″ center Abbie Boutilier has not played at all this season, and that will continue this weekend.
There will be one more availability report before tip-off, but with three players already listed as “out” and no other injuries on the report, there likely won’t be any updates.
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During the offseason, the SEC approved a new policy that mandates availability reports for conference games. The reports will be required for football, men’s and women’s basketball, and baseball. For football, teams submit reports on Wednesday and then update them each day until a final report 90 minutes before game time. For basketball and baseball, reports will be submitted the evening before a game and then updated on game day.
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The availability reports will use designations such as “available,” “probable,” “questionable,” “doubtful,” and “out” to describe how likely it is that a particular player will suit up for the next conference game. On game day, those designations will shift to “out” or “game-time decision.” The reports model professional sports leagues’ injury reports.
South Carolina and Texas will take the court at Colonial Life Arena at 1:00 p.m. ESPN will broadcast the game, and the ESPN app will make it available for streaming.
