South Carolina women's basketball: The Gamecock freshmen made strong NCAA Tournament debuts

South Carolina’s three freshmen made their NCAA Tournament debuts on Saturday, and each believes she laid the groundwork to help the Gamecocks make a deep tournament run.

All three got extended playing time. Alicia Tournebize was the first player off the bench early in the first quarter. Agot Makeer played 26 minutes, the third most on the team, and Ayla McDowell saw the second-most playing time she has gotten since the Tennessee game.

“I think it was really good,” Makeer said. “I’m excited to just get on the floor. We haven’t played in a while, so just knocking the rust off and playing hard was good.”

NEW! Message board for South Carolina Women’s Basketball! 🏀

Nobody would admit to any freshman butterflies.

“No, no,” McDowell said. “I actually haven’t had many butterflies before games this season. That’s pretty surprising for me. But that just showed me that my confidence has grown.”

But what all three liked was having a comfortable margin to work with in their first game back from a nearly two-week layoff.

“I think it was really good to have this game,” Makeer said. “I think all along we knew that we were gonna win this game. We didn’t know by how much, but we knew we had to come out and play hard. This team, even though we knew we were more talented than this team, we knew they would test us in every way possible because they play hard, they rebound, and they can guard. I feel like going into our next game, they gave us something that we can build on.”

McDowell, who didn’t play against LSU or Texas in the SEC Tournament, said she needed the game reps. She contributed four points and an assist.

“It felt pretty good to get out there for my first tournament game,” McDowell said. “I enjoy playing with my teammates all the time. I’m glad we got the dub, and I’m glad we’re being able to move on to the next round.”

Tournebize was pleased that the Gamecocks never let up despite the big lead. The freshmen were a big part of that.

“I’m feeling good. It was a good game,” she said. “We played together until the end of the game. Sometimes, when the games aren’t very close (…) like it was important for us to keep plugging, stay locked in until the end. So, I liked it.”

🏀 GamecocksW newsletter: WBB coverage delivered straight to your inbox!

Tournebize finished with five points and a career-high 11 rebounds. It was the second consecutive game in which she set a new career-high in rebounds. Dawn Staley has said that improved rebounding gives her confidence to play Tournebize more. 

“I hope so,” Tournebize said. “It’s important for post players to be able to get some rebounds. I try to focus on when you’re missing some shots, it’s important to crash the board and like be able to give another (possession) to the team.

Makeer also set a career-high, finishing with 15 points. She added three rebounds, three assists, three steals, and one loud block. It was one of the best games of her freshman season. 

“It was just playing hard and letting it come to me. I feel like I’ve always had it in me and for it to come now is probably the most important thing,” Makeer said. “I think my confidence was still high even after we lost (to Texas). I knew we had to bring it. Even in practice, our emphasis was that everyone still has to bring (it). And everyone’s important to this team and has to bring to this team what they have. I think tonight that’s what I did.”

Raven Johnson was impressed by the confidence from the freshman. She said Makeer is one of South Carolina’s most important players in this tournament.

“I’m excited. They didn’t even look nervous,” Johnson said. “That’s a good thing you want to see in March from your freshmen. Going off Gotti, 15 points. A good stat line. And I think she’s coming at the right time. I feel like, well, we all feel like, she’s an X-factor for this team.” 

Despite the confidence from the freshmen, there is one area of confusion. Has McDowell, who is listed at 6-1 by South Carolina, gotten taller since the beginning of the season?

“I think so,” she said. “(Wendale Farrow) mentioned the other day, you might have gotten taller. Every time I go back home, when we have time off, I get near my old high school coaches or my mom, and I’m like, Dang, I think I did get taller. So, yeah, I think I have grown a little bit. And I don’t know how.”

Like many kids, when McDowell grew up, her height was charted on a wall at her house. That may hold the definite answer.

“I do, actually, at home back in Houston. I do. I forgot to do that last time, but I think I have grown for sure,” McDowell said. “I’ve been stretching a lot more, so maybe that’s it.”

NEW! Message board for South Carolina Women’s Basketball!