The South Carolina Gamecocks are out battling against the NC State during their second game of the regular season. And as the Gamecocks look to stamp their authority this season also by winning another game, fans would be hoping that the team does not miss one of the starting forwards, who has to sit out of the game due to an odd reason.

The Gamecocks regular starter Chloe Kitts isn’t playing this game as was announced by their head coach Dawn Staley and posted by Emmy-nominated reporter Matt Dowell.

“We’re disappointed that Chloe has to sit out the game today due to an academic policy issue. Chloe has shown tremendous growth both academically and athletically over the offseason, demonstrating her commitment to excellence in every aspect. While she’s unable to play today, we’re incredibly proud of her progress,” Staley shared her statement with the Gamecocks.

Kitts posted a team-high 19 points with 14 rebounds, helping the team win 68-62 over Syla Swords and the Michigan Wolverines in the season opener. Therefore, she looked to be the apt replacement for Kamilla Cardoso, who had been the Gamecocks’ rebounding force, taking them to the 2024 Championship title.

Last season, Kitts averaged a decent 9.1 points with 5.9 rebounds per game and had started in 31 out of the 37 games she played. But hitting the team’s highest in the previous game, it looked as if she was to play a major role for the South Carolina-based team.

The reason for this academic complication seems a little odd since it is neither midterm time nor finals. However, there can be some other responsibilities that the 6-ft-2 junior may have to fulfill.

As of now, fans would be hoping that she gets done with the issue soon as Staley did not share how much time will it take for her to be back on the court. Meanwhile, for the time being, the Gamecocks have found her replacement.

South Carolina Gamecocks take the court with Chloe Kitts’ replacement

The Gamecocks star Ashlyn Watkins, who started 10 games last season, and was suspended from Aug. 31 until Wednesday made a comeback, but wasn’t given the starting chance by Staley. Instead, the lineup from the previous game continued in the starting five with only Kitts missing, who was replaced by Joyce Edwards.

Fresh out of Camden High School, Edwards is a five-star recruit from the class of 2024. Therefore, it will be really interesting to see if she will be able to make an impact as a starter. In her debut game, Edwards scored 10 points during the 29 minutes she played with 7 rebounds. Moreover, given her height is comparable to Kitts, she just might be able to succeed as a starter against NC State.

And if not, then the Gamecocks admirers would be hoping that Staley comes to the fore to share more news on Kitts’ absence. And maybe these are the situations that bring new players to the limelight.