Dawn Staley revealed after South Carolina’s 76-57 victory over Alabama that point guard Raven Johnson was battling illness heading into the game and was considered a game-time decision before ultimately suiting up in Tuscaloosa.
Despite the health concerns surrounding one of the Gamecocks’ most important players, Johnson took the floor and contributed to a performance that kept South Carolina’s impressive season rolling, now sitting at 26-2 on the year.
Staley’s decision to let Johnson play — and Johnson’s willingness to push through — speaks to the senior point guard’s importance to the program. Throughout the postgame press conference, Staley repeatedly referenced Johnson when discussing the team’s composure and leadership, crediting her for supporting teammate Madina Okot through a difficult mental stretch earlier in the season, and pointing to her steadiness as a reason the coaching staff felt comfortable not calling timeouts during Alabama’s in-game runs.
“We’ve got a seasoned point guard,” Staley said when explaining her timeout philosophy. “If they get rattled, then we probably need to call a timeout, but they didn’t seem rattled.”
That composure, delivered while playing through sickness, underlines the kind of culture Staley has built in Columbia. For the Gamecocks, gutting out a road win in the SEC while a key piece is operating below full health is simply part of the standard.
With the NCAA Tournament approaching, South Carolina will be hoping Johnson makes a full recovery quickly. The Gamecocks are one of the favorites to make a deep run, and having their starting point guard healthy and sharp will be critical to any championship ambitions the program carries into March.
Johnson’s toughness in Tuscaloosa added another layer to an already impressive team victory — one that extended Staley’s personal record against Alabama to 25-0 and sent the Gamecocks home with another statement SEC win firmly in hand.
