South Carolina’s Frontcourt Depth Is Taking Shape - And Adhel Tac and Maryam Dauda Are at the Heart of It
COLUMBIA - When the season tipped off, South Carolina didn’t have the luxury of easing players into roles or slowly building out its rotation. The Gamecocks needed bodies - and not just to fill jerseys.
They needed players who could step on the floor and contribute. That’s where Adhel Tac and Maryam Dauda came in.
The Gamecocks weren’t just hoping Tac and Dauda would be available. They were counting on them. With a roster trimmed down by graduation, transfers, and a couple of key absences, South Carolina found itself leaning heavily on two players who’ve already weathered their share of adversity - and who are now showing signs they’re ready for more.
Tac and Dauda have each suited up in 12 of South Carolina’s 13 games this season, with Tac earning a pair of starts. And while neither is logging massive minutes, their presence has been steady - and steadily improving.
Let’s start with Tac. Her journey’s been anything but smooth, battling through two major injuries in high school just to get to this point.
But she’s showing she belongs. In South Carolina’s final game before the holiday break - a dominant win over Florida Gulf Coast - Tac gave the Gamecocks 15 quality minutes off the bench.
Four points, four rebounds, a block, and a steal. It wasn’t flashy, but it was efficient.
And it was the kind of performance that builds trust with coaches and teammates.
“I’m seeing progress from Adhel,” head coach Dawn Staley said. “Now, when she gets in the game, she puts pressure on herself to perform at a high level because that’s what earns you extended minutes.”
Staley’s not just talking about effort, either. She’s talking about basketball IQ.
Tac knows the game plan. She communicates.
She’s vocal. She’s engaged.
The foundation is there - now it’s about stacking more minutes and more reps to let that impact grow.
And make no mistake, those minutes will be there. Joyce Edwards has been sensational, but even she needs a breather.
Same goes for Madina Okot. The only other true bigs on the roster?
Freshman Alicia Tournebize - who just enrolled early and is still learning the system - and Dauda.
That brings us to the former Razorback. Dauda arrived in Columbia with SEC experience and a proven résumé.
She averaged double figures and over six boards per game last season at Arkansas, logging nearly 30 minutes a night. That kind of workload wasn’t in the cards right away at South Carolina - not with Edwards and a deep, championship-caliber group already in place - but Dauda didn’t come in expecting anything to be handed to her.
Instead, she went to work. She stayed in Columbia over the summer to train.
She leaned into the system. She earned the respect of her teammates and coaches.
And now, she’s starting to find her rhythm.
In that same win over Florida Gulf Coast, Dauda dropped 12 points and grabbed three rebounds. It was a reminder of what she’s capable of - and a glimpse of what she can bring to this team when she’s locked in.
“I feel like the work I put in over the summer and the confidence my teammates pour in me every day grows,” Dauda said earlier this year. “I feel like I just have to trust myself.”
That trust is starting to show on the court. And it’s being reciprocated.
“They want it for her,” Staley said. “We want her to play comfortable, confident and well.
She’ll help us. No doubt she’ll help us this year.”
That help is already happening. Tac and Dauda might have started the season as depth pieces, but they’re becoming more than that. They’re evolving into reliable contributors - players who can give Edwards and Okot a break without the team skipping a beat.
South Carolina didn’t have much of a choice when it came to playing them. But now, it’s not about necessity - it’s about value. Tac and Dauda are earning their minutes, and more importantly, they’re making them count.
The goal now? Keep building.
Keep growing. Keep turning those solid showings into consistent production.
Because if South Carolina is going to make another deep run this season, it won’t just be on the stars. It’ll be on players like Tac and Dauda to keep the engine running - and they look ready for the challenge.