No. 1 South Carolina opened their 2026-27 season with a 101-93 win against No. 20 Maryland in Paris on Monday. But forget the final score for a sec, because the REAL story is Maryland’s sophomore guard Addi Mack. This kid absolutely exploded, dropping a staggering 35 points, including a lights-out 6-for-10 from deep, and announced her arrival as one of the sport’s top stars. Seriously, what a performance!
Gamecocks Flex Their Muscle Early
Yeah, South Carolina started off looking like the No. 1 team for a reason. They flew out to an 8-0 lead, then it was 15-2, and pretty soon they were up 22-5. The first quarter ended with the Gamecocks leading 33-14. Dawn Staley’s squad kept their foot on the gas in the second, with Agot Makeer adding 9 points and Joyce Edwards chipping in 13, even hitting a buzzer-beating jumper to put them up by a ridiculous 28 points at halftime, 61-33. It felt like a blowout was coming, no doubt.
Maryland Fights Back, Fueled by Mack’s Firepower
But credit to Maryland, they didn’t just roll over. Mack went OFF in the third quarter, scoring 17 points in that frame alone! The Terrapins actually outscored South Carolina by 9 in the third, though they still trailed 78-59 heading into the final 12 minutes. Then, midway through the fourth, Maryland went on an 8-0 run, cutting that massive lead to 89-80 with under five minutes left. My heart was pounding, I’m telling you! South Carolina hit back with seven straight points to restore their 16-point cushion, but the Terrapins had one more gasp in them. Mack and Bri McDaniel led a 10-0 streak, and then Trinity Jones drained a clutch three-pointer, making it 96-90 with only 43 seconds remaining. Talk about keeping it interesting!
South Carolina ultimately held on for the win, but this game in Paris was way more than just a season opener. Addi Mack is the real deal, and she just put the entire college basketball world on notice. Keep an eye on her, seriously. This story’s still unfolding, but her name is already etched in the early season highlights.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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