the team showcased their dominance with an 84-63 victory over the Vanderbilt Commodores in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals on March 7.
The standout performer for South Carolina was junior forward Chloe Kitts, who had an extraordinary outing, scoring a game-high 25 points. Kitts was highly efficient, shooting 12 of 14 from the field, and also contributed 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block in just 29 minutes of play.
While the Gamecocks are known for their balanced offensive approach, where it’s hard to predict who will lead the charge each game, they always seem to thrive when Kitts is at her best. Head coach Dawn Staley touched on this during her postgame remarks.
“This is really who Chloe is,” Staley said, according to an X post by Chaz R. Frazier of ABC Columbia.
“[She’s] starting to play very consistent basketball. She wants the ball in her hands, she wants to be a playmaker, she wants to be the one that can score it or dish it to a teammate. I thought her teammates did a really good job at finding her, I thought she did a really good job of just making a play,” Staley explained.
Staley went on to emphasize Kitts’ mental and physical strength, pointing out that the forward had delivered when her team needed her most. “We called her number, and she delivered for us. I would imagine that this is kind of how she envisioned her entire season going, but it didn’t go that way. I mean, it was a little bit up and down, inconsistent. But Chloe is strong enough mentally, physically, to be able to handle the rigors of this league.”
In closing, Staley reflected on the challenges of maintaining consistency in such a demanding season. “No one’s going to just kill it every single night. But if you don’t have the mental fortitude to stay with it through the ups and the downs, you won’t see consistent play like this at any point of the season.”
As the Gamecocks continue their postseason journey, Staley and fans alike will be hoping for more of the same from Kitts as she looks to keep her game on track.
