On Tuesday, the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) revealed that South Carolina women’s basketball junior forward Chloe Kitts was named one of its National Players of the Week, following her recognition as SEC co-Player of the Week on Monday. This marks the second consecutive week a Gamecock has earned a spot on the USBWA list, with guard MiLaysia Fulwiley receiving the honor the previous week.
Joining Kitts on this week’s USBWA National Players of the Week team were Iowa State’s Audi Crooks, Maryland’s Shyanne Sellers, West Virginia’s JJ Quinerly, and Southern Cal’s JuJu Watkins.
Kitts’ selection comes as no surprise given her standout performances. Over the week, the 6’2” Florida native averaged 14 points, 11.5 rebounds, 10.5 assists, 2.5 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting 50% from the field. Her most notable achievement was recording the ninth triple-double in South Carolina program history during a game against Ole Miss, a feat that also made her just the second Gamecock to achieve a triple-double in an SEC matchup. She followed that up with a solid double-double in a tighter-than-expected win over Kentucky, contributing to South Carolina’s two victories that secured a share of the 2024-2025 SEC Regular-Season Championship.
Gamecock Chloe Kitts Shines in Columbia
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina women’s basketball forward Chloe Kitts earned a spot among the USBWA National Players of the Week for her historic triple-double and pivotal role in the Gamecocks’ two wins that clinched a share of the SEC Regular-Season Championship.
Kitts posted an impressive double-double average for the week, tallying 14.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game. She kicked off the week with a triple-double against Ole Miss (16 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists), becoming only the second Gamecock to notch a triple-double in an SEC game. In the first half alone, she contributed nine points, seven rebounds, and six assists in just 16 minutes. After halftime, Kitts sparked a crucial 11-3 run in the third quarter with five straight points, helping South Carolina pull away after Ole Miss had narrowed the gap to two points. Her performance also featured a career-high four steals.
In the regular-season finale on Sunday against No. 15/14 Kentucky, Kitts delivered another double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. She spearheaded the offense in the second quarter, scoring six points to give the Gamecocks an eight-point halftime lead. In the game’s closing stretch, Kitts added four points, four rebounds, and a block during a 13-2 run that turned a one-point lead into a 12-point victory.
USBWA National Players of the Week
The other recipients of the USBWA National Players of the Week honors alongside Kitts were Audi Crooks (Iowa State), JJ Quinerly (West Virginia), Shyanne Sellers (Maryland), and JuJu Watkins (Southern Cal).
No. 5/5 South Carolina now shifts focus to Greenville, S.C., for the SEC Tournament later this week. The Gamecocks secured the No. 1 seed for the fourth consecutive season and will begin their campaign in the quarterfinals on Friday, March 7, at noon on ESPN.
For the latest updates on South Carolina women’s basketball, fans are encouraged to visit GamecocksOnline.com and follow the team’s social media accounts (@GamecockWBB).
South Carolina women’s basketball’s place in ESPN’s updated bracketology
South Carolina women’s basketball has earned a 1-seed in every NCAA Tournament in the last five years. They also would have picked up another at the end of the 2020-2021 season, but that season was Covid-shortened. This year, the Gamecocks have a chance to do it again, though, the choice isn’t as cut-and-dry as previous seasons.
For now, ESPN’s Charlie Creme believes Dawn Staley’s team is deserving of a 1-seed. In his updated bracketology, Creme lists the Gamecocks as his final No. 1, meaning USC is his No. 4 overall seed. As things stand, Carolina joins the Texas Longhorns, Southern Cal Trojans, and UCLA Bruins as 1-seeds. The UConn Huskies, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, LSU Tigers, and NC State Wolfpack hold the 2-line. Both UConn and Notre Dame have realistic shots at 1-seeds if a few things bounce their way this week.
In Creme’s current projection, South Carolina is one of the 1-seeds in Birmingham, Alabama. If the bracketology proved to be 100% accurate, the Gamecocks would have the UConn Huskies as their top competition in the regional. Other strong teams like the Duke Blue Devils, Kansas State Wildcats, Maryland Terrapins, and Iowa Hawkeyes also were included in USC’s side of Birmingham.
Creme’s bracketology makes sure to acknowledge that Conference Championship Week could change everything. If South Carolina wins the SEC Tournament, they all but lock in a 1-seed. If the Gamecocks lose, though, a 2-seed might be more likely, pending the results of other conference tourneys.
South Carolina will not play at the SEC Tournament until Friday. The Gamecocks earned a double-bye in Greenville and, because of the conference’s coin flip tiebreaker, are the No. 1 seed. They will play either the Texas A&M Aggies, Tennessee Lady Volunteers, or Vanderbilt Commodores in the quarterfinals. ESPN will air the Friday contest at Noon, while the ESPN app makes it available via streaming.
