The January 6 clash against Mississippi left South Carolina reeling, missing a critical piece with Ashlyn Watkins sidelined. With a showdown against Texas hinging on dominance in the paint, the pressure was on for someone to rise to the occasion. And in a decisive 67-50 victory over the Longhorns, the Gamecocks found their answer—a breakout performance from an unexpected hero stepping boldly into the spotlight.

That hero was none other than Sania Feagin. In a post-match press conference, coach Dawn Staley reflected on Feagin’s performance, acknowledging the young forward’s pivotal role in filling Watkins’ void. “She’s just giving it up on both sides of the basketball. I think once a player has a breakthrough of just not putting obstacles in front of them, they just have the breakthrough.”

Feagin’s breakthrough couldn’t have come at a better time, especially as the team grappled with the recent loss of Watkins, Staley’s go-to forward this season. Watkins, a junior, sustained a devastating ACL tear during the January 6 game against Mississippi State. The injury occurred in the second quarter when she went up to score in the paint, only to fall awkwardly. Unable to continue, Watkins was helped off the court and left the Gamecocks without a key piece in their lineup.

Despite the pressure of stepping into Ashlyn’s shoes, Feagin rose to the occasion. Staley commended her effort, noting both her statistical impact and intangible contributions. “She had a pretty good game from a statistical standpoint. But all the other stuff, the intangible, she always kept her feet above the bigs. She was communicating out there and directing. And when you have someone that has sat for as long as she’s sat and is playing as well as she played, that is it.”

Feagin’s journey to becoming a central figure for the Gamecocks has been far from linear. Her freshman and sophomore seasons were marked by inconsistency. Staley even noted that Feagin had “coasted” through much of her earlier years, allowing others to take the lead.

But something clicked for Sania Feagin, and it all came together when the South Carolina Gamecocks needed it the most.

Dawn Staley’s faith in Feagin pays off: A breakout performance in key victory

As they soared to their 11th consecutive victory, it was evident that her transformation was complete. She finished the game with8 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 6 blocks—intangible contributions that didn’t just fill a stat sheet but fortified the Gamecocks’ defense and energy. And all this in 31 minutes.

This breakout performance was particularly crucial given the stakes. The matchup wasn’t just a clash of two top-five teams; it was a battle for supremacy in the NCAA Women’s Basketball NET rankings. With both teams alternating between the No. 1 and No. 2 spots, the tension was palpable.

Yet, it was South Carolina who dominated, shooting 51% from the field compared to Texas’s 27.8%. Feagin, along with teammates Te-Hina Paopao and Chloe Kitts, who contributed 11 points each, ensured the Gamecocks maintained control throughout the game.

Even before tip-off, Staley had identified rebounding and paint control as the game’s pivotal factors. “In Vic’s heyday in the SEC, he controlled the paint. And it’s not going to change,” she had said. The Gamecocks did just that, out-rebounding Texas 42-40, with Feagin’s efforts anchoring the team.

As South Carolina eyes a deeper postseason run, Sania Feagin’s emergence couldn’t have come at a better time. “Her talent as well as will,” Staley emphasized, “is what we were trying to get from Feagin for three years now.”

With her newfound confidence and undeniable impact, Feagin is no longer a player content to watch from the bench—she is the ace in Staley’s deck, ready to make her mark in the most critical moments of the season!