LOOK: Dawn Staley Looks On In Disgust As Ta’Niya Latson’s Failed Dunk Attempt Leaves South Carolina Fans In Splits

Dunking can be considered an ‘art’ in the sport of basketball. An art which many, including the ‘Lob City’ Los Angeles Clippers, had it to perfection. Of course, one of the flashiest ways to slam the basketball onto a hoop is through an alley-oop, and we have seen many hoops stars do it in the most creative ways possible. But when it goes wrong, players can be subject to ridicule, or worse, rebuke from their coach.

That’s exactly what happened to Ta’Niya Latson, who tried slamming an alley-oop from Ayla McDowell in the third quarter against NC Central. Unfortunately, Latson was unable to grab hold of the ball, which went out of bounds. While everyone on the bench laughed this out, coach Dawn Staley seemed furious.

As seen from the TikTok video uploaded by BR Women’s Sports, Staley looked exasperated, throwing animated expressions at Latson for this play. Fortunately for Latson, she led the game in points, scoring a season-high 32 to grab a 106-42 blowout win. This marked Latson’s 21st game in her career with 30+ points, shooting 5-for-6 from beyond the arc, which is the fourth-best single-game percentage in program history (.833).

Freshman Ayla McDowell, on the other hand, finished with a career-high 16 points and hit five triples to grab this win. Perhaps, Dawn Staley can excuse these two on this one play by their overall performance in this entire matchup!

Dawn Staley is Facing a Roster Shortage For The Gamcocks

South Carolina women’s basketball is battling major roster issues because of injuries and other absences. Dawn Staley has often had only seven to nine players available and finished a recent game with just seven healthy options. The Gamecocks are already without key forwards Ashlyn Watkins and Chloe Kitts for the entire season after serious knee injuries, which has thinned the frontcourt. Freshman Agot Makeer has missed time in concussion protocol, and there have also been short-term setbacks and illness affecting guards like Tessa Johnson.

Despite the lack of depth, South Carolina is relying heavily on its starting group to carry the load. Starters such as Madina Okot, Joyce Edwards, Ta’Niya Latson, Tessa Johnson, and Raven Johnson are playing heavy minutes and producing most of the team’s scoring. The bench’s scoring has dropped sharply compared with last season, so Staley has emphasized toughness and conditioning while she slowly develops reserve options. Even with the rotation stretched thin, the Gamecocks have continued to win high-level games, showing resilience in tight contests.