South-Carolina
Can South Carolina run it back — and nine more questions for women’s college basketball
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Michael Voepel
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Alexa Philippou
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Alexa Philippou
ESPN
- Covers women’s college basketball and the WNBA
- Previously covered UConn and the WNBA Connecticut Sun for the Hartford Courant
- Stanford graduate and Baltimore native with further experience at the Dallas Morning News, Seattle Times and Cincinnati Enquirer
The 2023-24 women’s college basketball season ended with perfection as the South Carolina Gamecocks went 38-0 and won the program’s third NCAA championship.
Can the Gamecocks run it back? That’s one of the biggest questions that will shape the 2024-25 season.
Which player will fill the game’s brightest spotlight now that Caitlin Clark, the two-time national player of the year, is gone? What should we expect from last season’s exciting freshman class, led by USC’s JuJu Watkins? How will the breakup of the Pac-12 impact the sport?
With the season tipping off Nov. 4, we look at 10 of the biggest questions heading into the 2024-2025 season.
Can the Gamecocks win back-to-back titles?
Yes, they can. But they might look a little different doing it, at least early on, since the Gamecocks’ guards might be ahead of their post play.
Center Kamilla Cardoso, the No. 3 pick in the 2024 draft by the Chicago Sky, led South Carolina last season in points, rebounds, blocks and field goal percentage. But the next two scoring leaders, guards MiLaysia Fulwiley (11.7 points per game) and Te-Hina Paopao (11.0 PPG), return.
South Carolina still has a lot of talent in the post, including freshman Joyce Edwards. But forward Ashlyn Watkins (9.2 PPG, 7.4 rebounds per game) has been suspended since an Aug. 31 arrest on charges of first-degree assault and battery and kidnapping. Her court appearance set for Oct. 25 was rescheduled.
Another undefeated season seems like a lot to ask. But the Gamecocks — who return 87% of their minutes played and 84% of their points scored from a season ago — are still first in the national championship discussion. — Voepel
Can UConn return to the mountaintop?
UConn is the gold standard of college basketball with 11 national titles, but the Huskies haven’t been the last team standing since 2016, Breanna Stewart’s senior year. The Huskies reached the Final Four in all but one season in that span, and played in the 2022 national title game.
Could this be the year they finally win that 12th championship? Former national player of the year Paige Bueckers is hungry to make it happen in her final season in Storrs before heading to the WNBA. She’ll have a lot on her shoulders leading a relatively young and inexperienced, albeit talented, team following the departures of Aaliyah Edwards and Nika Muhl. The program will need to have better luck with health than it has experienced the past few years to get back to the mountaintop. — Philippou
Can the L.A. schools get to the Final Four?
USC and UCLA were two of the most exciting teams to watch last season. Watkins brought the Trojans back to prominence for the first time in decades, while Lauren Betts, Kiki Rice and Charisma Osborne led a deep Bruins squad.
Both teams should be even better this year. USC brought in transfers Kiki Iriafen (Stanford) and Talia von Oelhoffen (Oregon State), plus a stacked freshman class, to help Watkins. In Westwood, coach Cori Close snagged intriguing transfers in Janiah Barker (Texas A&M), Timea Gardiner (Oregon State) and Charlisse Leger-Walker (Washington State).
The battle for the Big Ten will preview both teams’ push to get to the Final Four — USC for the first time since 1986 and UCLA for the first time in the NCAA era. — Philippou
Who will win player of the year?
The favorites going into the season are sophomore Watkins (27.1 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 3.3 assists per game) and senior Bueckers (21.9 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 3.8 APG), who was the consensus player of the year her freshman season in 2020-21.
Other candidates might emerge during the season, depending on how their teams perform. While South Carolina is the favorite at No. 1, the Gamecocks’ depth of talent is such that they don’t have an obvious player of the year candidate. — Voepel
Which freshmen or transfers will make the biggest splash?
Last year’s freshman class made waves all season long. So did a host of transfers. So which newcomers — incoming freshmen or transfers to new programs — will prove to be difference-makers in 2024-25?
As far as the freshmen go, UConn is the only program with two top-10 recruits, headlined by No. 1 prospect Sarah Strong. Jaloni Cambridge was a huge get for Ohio State, especially considering the program’s graduation losses. Joyce Edwards, who decided to stay home and go to South Carolina, has already received rave reviews from coach Dawn Staley.
Aside from the aforementioned transfers into the L.A. schools, Raegan Beers (Oregon State to Oklahoma), Georgia Amoore (Virginia Tech to Kentucky) and Lucy Olsen (Villanova to Iowa) are among the key players to watch. — Philippou
How will players back from injuries fare?
Three big-name guards missed all (Notre Dame’s Olivia Miles), most (UConn’s Azzi Fudd) or a large part (Texas’ Rori Harmon) of last season due to knee injuries. All are expected back, although Fudd probably won’t play until December. They are dynamic players who can make a big difference in their teams’ national championship potential.
Other players to watch after injury: UConn center Jana El Alfy (Achilles) is expected to make her long-awaited college debut. LSU forward Sa’Myah Smith (knee, played seven games last season) could be a big help in making up for the loss of Angel Reese to the WNBA. Guard KK Deans (knee, played six games) should give Ole Miss’ perimeter scoring a boost. — Voepel
How deep can a Hidalgo-Miles backcourt take the Irish?
With Miles out, Irish fans were robbed of a year of a Hannah Hidalgo-Miles backcourt. But we’ll get to finally see that dynamic duo, and coach Niele Ivey already has said the pairing is going to be “electric.”
With Miles and Hidalgo leading the charge, optimism is high in South Bend that this is the year the Irish — the ACC preseason favorites — can advance past the Sweet 16 for the first time in Ivey’s tenure.
Those two won’t have to do it alone, as the Irish also return Sonia Citron and Maddy Westbeld and have a strong group of newcomers: transfers Liza Karlen (Marquette) and Liatu King (Pitt) plus freshman Kate Koval. — Philippou
What should we expect of Stanford in a new era?
Of all the coaching changes, none is bigger than Stanford not having legendary Tara VanDerveer on the sideline for the first time since she took over in 1985. Kate Paye takes over, and we’ll see how different the Cardinal might look under VanDerveer’s former player and longtime assistant.
There’s also a big change in personnel, with Cameron Brink moving on to the WNBA, Iriafen transferring and Hannah Jump completing her eligibility. They were the Cardinal’s top three scorers from a 30-6 season.
Stanford is difficult to project right now because so much is new, but the Cardinal playing in the ACC will be as strange as anything. — Voepel
What will Iowa, Kentucky and Tennessee look like under new leadership?
The situation at Iowa is most similar to Stanford, with Lisa Bluder stepping down after 24 years and her assistant during that time, Jan Jensen, taking over. The Hawkeyes lost not just a generational star in Clark, but players such as starting guards Kate Martin and Gabbie Marshall as well. That said, forward Hannah Stuelke is primed for a big junior season, and Jensen should get the best out of this group.
Kentucky is still seeking its first Final Four on the women’s side. Coach Kenny Brooks made that breakthrough at Virginia Tech, so maybe he can do it with the Wildcats. It likely won’t happen this season, but give Brooks time to establish his system.
At Tennessee, Kim Caldwell will try to transfer her up-tempo offensive and defensive style to the SEC after success last year at Marshall. Caldwell doesn’t have much Division I experience, so she will have to learn on the fly in a hypercompetitive league. — Voepel
How will realignment impact college basketball?
The past year’s realignment whirlwind, and the disintegration of the Pac-12, will undoubtedly take some getting used to, particularly with Stanford and Cal now in the ACC, and USC, UCLA, Washington and Oregon in the Big Ten.
But which programs will make the most noise in their new leagues? The L.A. schools are at the top of the list, with both slotted as the top two teams in the Big Ten preseason poll. In the SEC, Texas was projected to finish behind South Carolina, and Oklahoma was picked to come in fourth. Could the Longhorns — a top-five preseason team nationally — challenge the Gamecocks?
None of the ACC newcomers seem likely to emerge as conference contenders. In the Big 12, Kansas State and Iowa State figure to be the favorites with the Longhorns and Sooners gone. — Philippou
South-Carolina
What exactly was Ted Cruz doing in SC for Alan Wilson? Dreaming of the White House, perhaps.
COLUMBIA — Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas was very clear when he told people his reason for being in South Carolina this past week: he wanted to help Alan Wilson become the next governor of the Palmetto State.
For a full day in the blazing South Carolina heat, Cruz and Wilson traveled across the Midlands June 22 to deliver the closing argument for Wilson’s candidacy, from lakeside ice cream socials to full VFW halls and closed-door meetings with law enforcement.
They posed for photos with seemingly everyone who packed into the dining room of a Columbia barbecue restaurant owned by local Republican powerbroker Kirkman Finlay. The Texan played to the crowd with a quip that the state made some “mighty fine barbecue.”
And Cruz — putting his money where his mouth was — directed a quarter-million dollars in cable television advertising support to boost Wilson’s candidacy in opponent Pamela Evette’s backyard of Greenville County through his Truth and Courage political action committee.
“My philosophy is simple: I support the most conservative candidate who can win,” he told the crowd in Columbia the night before voters went to the polls.
Cruz takes so far:
1) All Democrats are socialists
2) Trump administration doing great
3) South Carolina barbecue is pretty good. (See below.) pic.twitter.com/4WF9c1gT0E— Nick Reynolds (@IAmNickReynolds) June 22, 2026
The political play
But what was Cruz really doing here? Reporters tried to find out, but had little luck.
Was it a play for 2028?
Cruz side-stepped the question, noting he had campaigned for conservative candidates in multiple states since his election to the Senate more than a dozen years ago.
“I care deeply who the leaders are that have the responsibility with steering our nation — with steering our states — in the right direction,” he told reporters after more than one hour shaking hands with supporters.
But plenty already think he is.
Texas U.S. Senate colleague John Cornyn said he believes Cruz covets the presidency during a recent interview with D.C. outlet Semafor. Others say his recent actions show Cruz “is clearly running for president,” as Vice President and potential 2028 candidate J.D. Vance said during a podcast appearance with conservative commentator Megyn Kelley on June 17. The local press seemed to think so too.
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“Sen. Ted Cruz makes Iowa appearance, fueling speculation about another presidential bid” Texas Tribune — May 2, 2026
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“Is Ted Cruz building up to another presidential run?” San Antonio Express-News — April 14, 2026.
Was it a jab at President Donald Trump?
Cruz this election cycle had endorsed opposite Trump in multiple races, lending his backing for Wilson shortly before Trump surprisingly abandoned his “complete and total endorsement” of Evette to co-endorse Wilson in the June 23 runoff.
He has also shown a propensity to criticize Trump behind closed doors, as recordings of conversations with donors detailed by news site Axios earlier this year describe.
But he dodged several attempts by a Post and Courier reporter to lock down the significance of that decision, including a question whether Trump occasionally failed to choose the most conservative candidates available.
“President Trump has been an extraordinary president, and I’m proud to work hand in hand with him,” he said. “He makes his determinations, I make my determinations. They are often usually one and the same; occasionally, they differ.”
So how serious is the prospect of a run for president in 2028? For Republicans and Democrats alike, South Carolina will continue to be a key early primary state in 2028.
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Multiple possible contenders for the Democratic nomination that year — California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Arizona politicians Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, New Jersey Sen. Corey Booker and Silicon Valley-area Congressman Ro Khanna — have already been active here, while Republicans plot their next moves in anticipation of the winding down of the 80-year-old Trump’s hold on the contemporary GOP.
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Cruz has also been here before, appearing with Wilson during a series of town halls the then-attorney general held with multiple presidential hopefuls during Cruz’s bid for the presidency in 2016.
Cruz seems to be playing the long game. Asked one of the essential questions of any candidate seeking South Carolinians’ vote — their preferred barbecue sauce — Cruz remained non-committal.
“The best sauce is no sauce at all,” Cruz said. “Cook the meat right, you don’t need sauce.”
He even continued to decline a response on the crucial follow-up: what sauce he preferred for pulled pork.
“Pulled pork would be delicious,” he said. “Brisket is fantastic. I’m kind of partial to jalapeno and cheddar sausage. That is a quality piece of art.”
Of note: There was, in fact, sauce present at a barbecue spread Cruz prepared for New York Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand as the result of a wager between the pair of them on the outcome of the recent NBA finals matchup between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs.
The @nyknicks are champions and @SenTedCruz made good on his bet! pic.twitter.com/OOxKFztgZS
— Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (@gillibrandny) June 25, 2026
Quote of the week
“I’m gonna go donate to him again, to encourage him to run again.”
— State Rep. Jay Kilmartin, R-Lexington, after the House Republican Caucus banded with Democrats to recommit his bill to legalize the over-the-counter sale of human-grade Ivermectin June 25 after previously passing both the House and Senate by unanimous vote.
Kilmartin, a member of the House Freedom Caucus, said the motion by House Majority Leader Davey Hiott to kill the bill was a penalty for his financial support of Statehouse candidate John Allen in his primary bid against incumbent Lexington Republican Rep. Chris Wooten in this past month’s elections.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WACH) — The South Carolina State Museum opened its doors Saturday for a day of free admission, live entertainment and hands-on activities as it marked America’s 250th anniversary and unveiled a new exhibit focused on the Palmetto State’s role in the Revolutionary War.
The event, billed as “Salute to 250 Day,” included the grand opening of “American Battleground: South Carolina’s Revolution,” an exhibition exploring South Carolina’s role in the fight for independence.
“When we think of the revolution, of course we think about Bunker Hill, and George Washington, and crossing the Delaware, and in Yorktown and the battles up there,” said Christopher Graham, curator of the Revolution exhibit.
But on two occasions, the British attempted to invade the southern colonies. The first occasion, 1776, South Carolina drove off the attempt and British returned in 1780 and captured Charlestown, and moved into the backcountry attempting to reestablish rural control. That’s when the backcountry militia rose up and begin fighting the British without much government support, and eventually driving the British out of South Carolina into North Carolina and toward their fate at Yorktown.
Organizers said the exhibit is intended to help visitors learn about the Revolutionary War in the South, with artifacts meant to connect people of all ages with the state’s history.
Among the items on display is what Graham described as a significant South Carolina artifact.
“There is an iconic South Carolina artifact in here. It’s the flag of the second South Carolina regiment that was given to the regiment just a couple days after the battle of Sullivans Island, and carried for several year,” Graham said. “It was captured at the siege of Savannah carried back to Britain, where lived for 200 years, and now it’s back and it’s on exhibit.”
Chandler Mack, PR manager for the South Carolina State Museum, said the exhibit is part of a broader effort to begin a year of commemorating America’s 250th anniversary.
“we played a very pivotal role in our nations quest for independence during the revolutionary war. So that’s why we wanted to open ‘American Battleground: South Carolina’s Revolution’ to tell that story and tell the story of what life was like for every South Carolinian,” Mack said.
A shark is swimming around a surfer in Aptos, California
Drone footage shows a large shark was seen swimming ominously close to a surfer sitting on his surfboard at Seascape Beach in Aptos, California.
As summer crowds return to South Carolina’s beaches, new data highlights how influential the Palmetto State is on America’s shark risk.
The state has 118 recorded historical shark attacks, the third‑highest total in the nation. Two unprovoked bites have already been reported in 2026, according to Vegas Insider’s Summer Hazard Odds study.
South Carolina remains one of the country’s most closely watched coastal hotspots where incidents from shark bites to lightning strikes are likely to occur. Myrtle Beach, in particular, stands out, as it ranks No. 14 overall in hazard risk and No. 2 nationally for shark‑bite risk.
How likely is a shark bite in Myrtle Beach?
The odds of a shark bite in Myrtle Beach are estimated at 1 in 720,000 during a two‑week trip, equivalent to a 0.00014% likelihood, according to Vegas Insider’s Summer Hazard Odds study.
Even with Myrtle Beach’s national ranking, the numbers make one thing clear: shark encounters remain pretty rare.
Has there ever been a fatal shark attack at a South Carolina beach?
Despite its high risk of recorded shark encounters, there has never been a confirmed or fatal unprovoked shark attack in South Carolina in modern history.
The only such incident on record dates all the way back to 1852 in Charleston Harbor, according to America Surf, a magazine dedicated to surfing.
Myrtle Beach is among America’s top shark hotspots
With new national rankings spotlighting Myrtle Beach as one of the country’s most closely watched shark hotspots.
Vegas Insider’s Summer Hazard Odds study reveals it stems largely from the area’s intense swimmer density and environmental conditions.
With over 17 million visitors each year, Myrtle Beach does see an increase in accidental shark interactions. At the same time, the region’s warm, murky coastal waters create ideal shark-hunting conditions.
What types of sharks are at Myrtle Beach? Blacktips to bull sharks
As concerns about coastal safety rise each summer, understanding which sharks are actually responsible for bites in Myrtle Beach helps put the risk into perspective.
Most incidents in South Carolina involve small to medium coastal species, not large predators, according to americansurfmagazine.com
Along the beach, sharks most often linked to bites include blacktips, spinners, bull sharks, sandbar sharks, and Atlantic sharpnose sharks.
Reality of shark encounters in Myrtle Beach
Understanding why shark bites happen in Myrtle Beach helps make sense of the danger.
As reported by americansurfmagazine.com, most incidents aren’t aggressive attacks but quick, unintentional encounters driven by shark behavior.
Bites are typically unprovoked yet non‑aggressive, often involving single, rapid nips when a shark mistakes a hand, foot, or ankle for a small fish in the surf.
Juvenile sharks feeding in shallow, turbid water are the usual culprits, especially fast‑moving blacktips and spinners, which strike at baitfish near the shoreline and may accidentally contact swimmers.
Ways to reduce shark bite risk this beach season
As the summer beach season approaches, safety experts say that most shark encounters can be prevented with simple habits in the water.
According to the Florida Museum, ways to keep yourself and others safe include swimming in groups, staying close to shore, and avoiding the ocean during dawn, dusk, or nighttime, when sharks are most active.
It also means minimizing behaviors that attract attention, avoiding excess splashing, and steering clear of shiny jewelry or bright, high‑contrast clothing that resembles prey in murky waters.
Travis Jacque Rose is the trending news reporter for the Greenville News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at trose@gannett.com.
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