Ashlyn Watkins' Recent Play Creating A Conundrum For Dawn Staley

South Carolina's women's basketball coach Dawn Staley has a decision to make in light of the jump one of her frontcourt players has made in recent weeks.

In each of the last two games, South Carolina played without their star center in Kamilla Cardoso, leaving everyone, including likely Dawn Staley, wondering how the Gamecocks would step up to the challenge of having to play a more methodical game and on shorter rest due to Sahnya Jah also being out indefinitely for improper conduct. To say that the team answered the call would be an understatement, as they dismantled the Missouri Tigers in a 38-point win and slammed the door shut on the storied UConn Huskies by the end of the 3rd quarter.

One player who stood, in particular, was sophomore forward Ashlyn Watkins, who was already receiving a more prominent role due to the fact that Chloe Kitts was dealing with and coming back from an illness when Carolina played Ole Miss and Auburn before Cardoso left the team. In those four games, Watkins averaged 12.25 points on 62.5 percent shooting from the floor, 10.25 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 2.25 steals per contest, leaving a profound impact on the floor against her matchup and the opposing team.

Although Kamilla is expected to be back with the team when they travel to Knoxville to take on the Tennessee Lady Vols on Thursday night, Dawn conveyed in yesterday's post-game presser that Ashlyn's recent play is making her rethink her role in the rotation moving forward.

"I'm super proud of [Watkins] because she wasn't a starter, and I know she wanted to start, and it bothered her to a point of actually showing me what we're missing out on with her not starting, and I don't want to start like any you know any friction but we have to have Ashlyn on the floor," Staley lamented. "We have to have on the floor. When Kamilla comes back, whether [Watkins] stays in the starting lineup or she comes off the bench, we have to have her on the floor. She's proven that she's grown from Kamilla's absence."

You Might Also Like:

• Gamecock WBB Fans Get Glimpse Of Future With Fulwiley's Outing Vs. Missouri
• FINAL: No. 1 South Carolina Rout Missouri 83-45 Without Cardoso
• BREAKING: Sahyna Jah Out Indefinitely Due To Conduct Detrimental To The Team

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