South Carolina Women's Basketball Holds On in Paris: No. 1 Gamecocks Beat Maryland 101-93 After a 31-Point Lead Nearly Slips Away
South Carolina opened its season in Paris with a win that felt like two different games: a 28-point halftime lead and a biggest lead of 31, then a Maryland comeback that cut it to six in the final minute. Chloe Kitts and Ashlyn Watkins both returned for the Gamecocks after more than a year away.
PARIS — The No. 1 team in women's college basketball opened its season with a scare it survived. South Carolina beat No. 17 Maryland 101-93 on Monday at Adidas Arena in Paris, a season opener that was a rout for a half and a fight the rest of the way. The Gamecocks led by 28 at halftime and stretched their biggest lead to 31 points at the 9:34 mark of the third quarter — then Maryland outscored them 60-40 in the second half and cut the lead to six with 42.3 seconds left before South Carolina closed it out.
The comeback had a name: Addi Mack. Maryland's guard was the game's top scorer with 35 points, 31 of them in the second half, on 12-for-14 shooting and 6-for-8 from three after halftime. South Carolina's answers came from Joyce Edwards, who led the Gamecocks with 23 points on 10-for-19 shooting with eight rebounds and four assists, and from Agot Makeer, who scored a career-high 20 points on 8-for-10 shooting and a perfect 4-for-4 from three.
The afternoon also returned two familiar faces. Chloe Kitts, who sat out last season after tearing the ACL in her right knee in an October 2025 practice, started and logged eight points, seven rebounds, five assists and a block in 19 minutes. Ashlyn Watkins, playing for the first time since the 2024-25 season, came off the bench for seven points, a team-high 10 rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks in 21 minutes. South Carolina, ranked No. 1 in the USA Today Sports preseason Coaches Poll, is back in action Sunday, November 8, against North Carolina in Charlotte at the Ally Tip-Off.
