NCAA women's basketball power rankings: Can depth fuel South Carolina's comeback?

Playing against defending national champion South Carolina is difficult enough. But how the Gamecocks responded to their worst loss of the season made them even stronger.

We're not talking about their only loss at UCLA on Nov. 24, but the season-ending knee injury to small forward Ashlyn Watkins on Jan. 5. to reimburse. Watkins averaged 7.2 points, 6.1 rebounds and led the team with 1.9 blocks in the 14 games she played.

Since then, the Gamecocks have won four straight, three of them against ranked opponents. They punished two top-10 teams in Texas (67-50) and Oklahoma State (101-60). South Carolina reached the century mark for the first time this season with a win over the Sooners on Jan. 19 and quite possibly played its best overall game of the 2024-25 season.

South Carolina remains No. 2 in the ESPN Women's College Basketball Power Rankings and looks strong against two of the toughest tests the SEC could face. South Carolina hosts LSU on Thursday (ESPN, 8 p.m. ET) before traveling to Tennessee on Monday (ESPN2, 7 p.m. ET).

Coach Dawn Staley said Watkins brings blocking, defense, rebounding, scoring and a fierce competitive performance. But then Staley talked about how the rest of the Gamecocks are making the most of the extra playing time without Watkins.

“Yes, we feel sorry for Ash and her not being with us,” Staley said. “But do we have the utmost confidence in the remaining guys? Absolutely.”

That includes rookie star Joyce Edwards, who leads South Carolina with 12.1 points per game despite coming off the bench. Edwards is a 6-foot-3 post player who runs up and down the court and shoots 56.6 percent from the field. Against the Sooners, she scored 17 points on 8-for-10 shooting.

“Joyce’s work ethic is unparalleled,” Staley said. “This is outrageous. She just has drive and only knows one way. I always wish she wouldn't go to the gym, but that's her makeup.”

MiLaysia Fulwiley (11.2, 2.9), who had 15 points, 4 rebounds and 7 assists against the Sooners, is another reserve guard but has been out since 2023- She has been a highlight player since her freshman season in '24.

“I like playing well because it motivates me to play better,” Fulwilli said. “As a team, we never pout when we don't play well. I think the love we have for each other is going to help us get through a tough game this week.”

Even without Watkins, the Gamecocks' depth is still championship-caliber. Staley said that depth could cost the Gamecocks major individual awards, but they accept the trade-off for team success.

“We sacrificed the SEC player of the week and got national player of the year candidates, probably some of the best players in the country,” Staley said. “But this team is really just locked in with the end goal of winning and working hard for each other. (We're) doing things that promote great basketball. We want to be a great product.”

Previous rankings: 1

Playing at Walter Pyramid Stadium in Long Beach due to wildfires in the Los Angeles area, the Bruins were under some pressure before an 83-67 victory over Penn State on Jan. 15. UCLA then trailed by 24 points and defeated non-conference rival Baylor 72-57. Center Lauren Betts had nine rebounds and nine blocks during the Coretta Scott King Classic on Monday in Newark, N.J. UCLA and LSU are the only remaining undefeated teams in Division I.

Next 7 days: @Rutgers (Jan 23), @Maryland (Jan 26)

Previous rankings: 2

In addition to last week's win over Oklahoma State, the Gamecocks also defeated another ranked team, Alabama. Now they face two other ranked opponents: the Tigers and Lady Vols. Thursday is one of the most anticipated games of the SEC season, matching the past two teams that have won the NCAA title: South Carolina in 2022 and 2024, and LSU in 2023.

Next 7 days: vs. LSU (Jan. 23), @Tennessee (Jan. 27)

Previous rankings: 3

The Irish beat Georgia Tech by 15 points and SMU by 24, with guard Hannah Hidalgo returning against the Broncos. She missed the first two games due to an ankle injury. The Notre Dame football team fell one step away from a national championship on Monday, but the Irish remain one of the women's basketball title contenders.

Next 7 days: @Boston College (January 23)

Previous rankings: 4

The Trojans were tested in Indiana on Sunday, but a 22-16 fourth-quarter advantage gave them a 73-66 victory. JuJu Watkins (22 points) leads USC in scoring, having done so in all but one game this season.

Next 7 days: @purdueuniversity (January 22)

Previous rankings: 5

The Tigers stayed perfect as they defeated Florida by 17 points on Sunday. They've overcome every challenge this season, but will that end on Thursday? LSU has lost 16 straight games to South Carolina dating back to the 2012 season. LSU let weaker opponents linger in the game a little too much. It can't afford to have to face off against the Gamecocks down the stretch because that might not happen.

Next 7 days: @South Carolina (Jan 23), vs. Texas A&M (Jan 26)

Previous rankings: 6

Paige Bueckers returned from a sprained knee last week and scored 12 points in a win over St. John's and had 18 points and seven assists in a 60-point win over Seton Hall. In his 102nd game with the Huskies, Bucs passed the 2,000-point mark against the Buccaneers. It was UConn's record for the fewest games to score 2,000 points.

Next 7 days: vs. Villanova (Jan. 22), @ Creighton (Jan. 25)

Previous rankings: 7

The Longhorns defeated Auburn 74-57 last week and face Maryland in Monday's Coretta Scott King Classic in what appears to be an exciting non-conference matchup. But the injury-plagued Terps were unable to keep up with the Longhorns and lost 89-51.

Next 7 days: vs. Tennessee (Jan. 23), Mississippi State (Jan. 26)

Previous rankings: 10

TCU defeated Utah 81-73 last week for its 10th straight win and is tied with Kansas State for first place in the Big 12 Conference at 7-0. The Horned Frogs must be wary heading into their trip to Oklahoma State, which was ranked high before being upset by Houston last week. TCU's upcoming game against Baylor could also challenge the Frogs.

Next 7 days: @Oklahoma State (Jan 22), vs. Baylor (Jan 26)

Previous rankings: 12

The Wildcats are one of three teams to remain undefeated in SEC play, along with South Carolina and LSU. The two compete against each other on Thursday. Kentucky won't face either game until the end of the regular season. The Wildcats defeated Georgia by 14 points on Sunday, with post player Clara Strack scoring 25 points and grabbing 12 rebounds.

Next 7 days: @Texas A&M (Jan 23), vs. Arkansas (Jan 26)

Previous rankings: 11

The Wildcats defeated Arizona and Arizona State last week and are tied with TCU for first place in the Big 12 Conference at 7-0. But they got very bad news: star center Ayoka Lee is out indefinitely with a broken foot. Kansas State remains hopeful that Lee, who has battled through several injuries in college and is now in her final year of eligibility, can return at the end of the season. Lee leads the Wildcats in points, rebounds and blocks, so this is a huge blow to K-State.

Next 7 days: Next 7 Days: @Colorado (January 25)

Previous rankings: 8

Speaking of serious injuries, the Terps lost Bree McDaniel for the season this week to an ACL injury, while fellow veteran Sian Sellers lost to Texas on Monday. Missed due to injury during the game. The seller's return status is currently uncertain. None of that was what Maryland needed in two very difficult games.

Next 7 days: @Ohio State (Jan 23) vs. No. 1 UCLA (Jan 26)

Previous rankings: 9

In last week's power rankings, we wondered how long the Buckeyes could stay undefeated. Turns out it didn't take long. After Thursday's win at Wisconsin, the Buckeyes were without injured freshman Jaloni Cambridge for Sunday's game against Penn State. The Nittany Lions defeated the Buckeyes 62-59. We'll see how Ohio State reacts to this this week.

Next 7 days: vs. Maryland (Jan. 23), @Nebraska (Jan. 26)

Previous rankings: 14

The Tar Heels are quietly having a solid season with wins at SMU and Pittsburgh. Guard Lexi Donarski scored a team-high 15 points in two games.

Next 7 days: vs. Wake Forest (January 23), vs. Florida State (Jan. 26)

Previous rankings: 16

The Blue Devils needed two strong wins last week, and they got them by defeating ACC newcomers Cal (34 points) and Stanford (25 points). Duke is tied with North Carolina State for second in the ACC.

Next 7 days: @SMU (Jan 23), @Georgia Tech (Jan 26)

Previous rankings: 13

Soon enough, the Gamecocks had a painful “welcome to the SEC” moment when they had to play South Carolina when they were good. The highlight of Oklahoma's 41-point loss was the performance of Raegan Beers, who injured her shoulder in a game on Jan. 12. She returned last week in Oklahoma's 80-63 win over Missouri State, but had an even better performance against the Gamecocks, finishing with 23 points and eight rebounds. The Sooners must put this loss behind them and move on.

Next 7 days: vs. Georgia (January 26)

Previous rankings: 15

Tennessee has fallen off a bit, losing three of its past five games. The Lady Vols defeated Mississippi State but then lost at the last second to in-state rival Vanderbilt. Up next are the Longhorns and Gamecocks, and the Lady Vols will also be tested.

Next 7 days: @Texas (Jan 23), vs. South Carolina (Jan 27)