South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley continues turning to the transfer portal to solve the offseason puzzle of how to replace the scoring and spark left behind by MiLaysia Fulwiley .

On Saturday, On3 reported that Mississippi State transfer Madina Okot made a visit to Columbia, indicating that the Gamecocks are ready to strengthen their frontcourt and add more scoring threats. The 6-foot-6 center left the Bulldogs after averaging 11.3 points and 9.6 rebounds during her junior year.

Her trip to campus comes just days after Fulwiley, South Carolina’s second-leading scorer, officially entered the transfer portal . Fulwiley spent two years with Staley’s program, averaging 11.7 points per game and collecting a string of accolades along the way, including SEC Tournament MVP and Sixth Player of the Year honors. Fulwiley played a pivotal role off the bench during the Gamecocks’ national championship run in 2024 and was widely seen as the heir apparent to the program’s next generation of stars alongside Joyce Edwards .

Okot’s visit came following a 96-56 second-round NCAA Tournament loss to USC , where she put up eight points and six rebounds in 20 minutes of action. Mississippi State was smothered by the offense of No. 4 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft Kiki Iriafen , who scored 36 points on nearly 73 percent shooting.

Throughout the 2024-25 season, Okot earned double-digit rebounds in 17 games, which was exactly half of Mississippi State’s games, but replacing Fulwiley’s offensive production won’t be easy.

The Columbia native was a highlight machine with flashy ball-handling, confident shot selection, and elite-level quickness that kept defenses on edge. She committed to South Carolina back in 2022 and was widely considered one of the most important homegrown recruits of the Staley era.

The scoring responsibilities left by Fulwiley will more than likely be replaced by Florida State transfer Ta’Niya Latson, who led the nation in scoring last season with 25.2 ppg.

Latson earned second-team All-American honors last season and broke several FSU records, including scoring 30 points in seven games in a season and scoring the most freshman points in ACC history in 2023.

Fulwiley’s decision to leave came after college basketball fans speculated that the electric guard wasn’t getting enough playing time in Staley’s offense. Ole Miss, Louisville, and Notre Dame have emerged as potential landing spots for next season.

Okot has started every game of her college career since transferring from a junior college to Mississippi State.

She brings much-needed size and rebounding to a Gamecocks roster that still features Chloe Kitts, who has elevated her game to a double-digit scoring average for the first time since joining the team in 2022.

Alongside Okot, Mississippi State point guard Denim DeShields and versatile forward Debreasha Powe also left the Bulldogs in the transfer portal. The team replaced the talent with incoming transfers Kharyssa Richardson [Ole Miss] and Trayanna Crisp [North Carolina] in return.