Sophomore forward Chloe Kitts joined the 国产三级片 women's basketball team just 10 games into its 2022-23 season. Kitts, a freshman at the time, would then appear in 18 games off the bench for the Gamecocks, playing for only a total of 124 minutes.
But a year later, she has found herself serving a larger role for the Gamecocks, helping to fill big shoes that were left when 国产三级片 lost all five of its starters at the end of the 2022-23 season.
Now, Kitts has started in all five of 国产三级片鈥檚 games so far for the 2023-24 season.
Kitts averaged 1.6 points in the 2022-23 season and had a season high of 10 points and seven rebounds in her debut against Charleston Southern.
But for 2023-24, she has amassed 48 points across just five games and has already surpassed her first season's total of 29 points.
鈥�(Staley) just keeps fulfilling me with confidence, and I knew my time was going to come eventually,鈥� Kitts said. 鈥淚've just got to put that work in.鈥�
Kitts has hit the ground running to start the new campaign, shooting .529 from the field and averaging 9.6 points. Kitts has also gathered 27 rebounds and come away with six blocks.
Her performance in preseason practice and the season opener exhibition game helped Kitts get the nod to start over junior forward Sania Feagin who is averaging 8.8 points.
鈥淪he鈥檚 been steadily getting good at what she does. I think the summer was a good summer for her,鈥� head coach Dawn Staley said. 鈥淚 thought postseason was a good time for her to really understand what she wanted, and she had her eye on the USA Basketball team.鈥�
Kitts played in the 2023 FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup on USA Basketball鈥檚 team this past summer. She averaged 10.7 points and eight rebounds throughout seven games in Madrid for Team USA.
The United States won gold, and Kitts put together a difference-making performance. She scored 15 points and had nine rebounds in the championship game.
鈥淪he had an eye on starting, and that was her focus,鈥� Staley said. 鈥淪he worked on her shot, her confidence, her ability to make the right basketball decision. And she put herself in position to start for Joni Taylor鈥檚 team on the U19, and then she brought that mentality back.鈥�
But Kitts has impressed the team since she arrived at 国产三级片.
Then senior guard Zia Cooke said she noticed Kitts' smooth transition to the collegiate level when Kitts joined the team in December 2022 after graduating from DME Academy a semester early.
鈥淚鈥檓 super, super surprised,鈥� Cooke said shortly after Kitts joined the program. 鈥淲hen she鈥檚 out there, she鈥檚 asking questions. She鈥檚 even knowing the answers to some things I didn鈥檛 even know my freshman year, so that just shows that she鈥檚 really locked into basketball."
国产三级片 opened its season in October with an exhibition game against Rutgers. Kitts did not start the game but had 10 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks coming off the bench. She has started every game since then.
鈥淪he got back to doing the little things,鈥� Staley said. 鈥淣ow she鈥檚 doing the little things and finding spots in our offense to score the ball, so she鈥檚 creating great balance with what she鈥檚 doing.鈥�
Kitts played a season-high 20 minutes against then No. 14 Maryland in the second game of this season. She scored 13 points and grabbed 10 boards. Only senior guard Te-Hina Paopao outscored Kitts during the game against Maryland with 14 points.
For the rest of the season, Kitts said she and and the team are focused on playing as a team and not getting comfortable in their success.
鈥淲e all have a lot of confidence in our team right now,鈥� Kitts said. 鈥淵ou see us out there. We鈥檙e just having so much fun. We鈥檙e playing so well together, and we already feel like we deserve what we鈥檙e going to get 鈥� what鈥檚 ahead of us.鈥�
Kitts and the Gamecocks are 5-0 and will look to continue their undefeated season when they face No. 24 North Carolina Thursday in Chapel Hill. The game is at 7 p.m. and will be broadcasted on ESPN.