And against theMaryland Terrapinsin Paris, France, Dawn Staley needed the frontcourt duo.
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The Gamecocks nearly blew a 31-point lead, but held on to win their season-opener101-93. Kitts started and logged eight points, seven rebounds, five assists and a block in 19 minutes of action, while Watkins tallied seven points, 10 rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks in 21 minutes off the bench.
Watkins led the team in rebounding while Kitts was tied for the team lead in assists with Tessa Johnson.
Kitts sat out last season after tearing the ACL in her right knee during a practice in October 2025. Watkins suffered an ACL injury late in the 2024-25 season, then announced that she would step away from the program last season to "focus on myself, my community, my faith, and my family."
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Both are back in the rotation now for a South Carolina team that looks capable of extending its Final Four streak, currently the longest active one in the sport.
Kitts was a starter on South Carolina's 2024 national championship team as a sophomore. As a junior in the 2024-25 season, she was voted SEC Tournament MVP after averaging 16.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, three assists and a steal per game across the Gamecocks' dominant run there.
"Chloe has been very consistent with working hard. You don't really have to worry about her getting in what she needs to get in. Actually, she's almost obsessive with it to where you just have to say, 'Hey, take a day off,'" Staley said of Kitts at SEC Media Day. "I think Chloe just wants it. She wants it now. She wants to be in the WNBA now because she put the work in, and when you put the type of work that she puts in, the expectation is to be there."
2026: UCLA Bruins
(Joe Rondone, The Republic)
2025: Connecticut Huskies
(Kirby Lee, Imagn Images)
2024: South Carolina Gamecocks
(Ken Blaze, USA TODAY Sports)
2023: LSU Lady Tigers
(Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports)
2022: South Carolina Gamecocks
(Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports)
2021: Stanford Cardinal
(Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports)
2019: Baylor Lady Bears
(Kim Klement, USA TODAY Sports)
2018: Notre Dame Fighting Irish
(Joseph Maiorana, USA TODAY Sports)
2017: South Carolina Gamecocks
(Matthew Emmons, USA TODAY Sports)
2016: Connecticut Huskies
(Joe Robbins, Getty Images)
2015: Connecticut Huskies
(Kim Klement, USA TODAY Sports)
2014: Connecticut Huskies
(Don McPeak, USA TODAY Sports)
2013: Connecticut Huskies
(Crystal LoGiudice, USA TODAY Sports)
2012: Baylor Bears
(Chris Humphreys, US PRESSWIRE)
2011: Texas A&M Aggies
(Elsa, Getty Images)
2010: Connecticut Huskies
(Brendan Maloney, US PRESSWIRE)
2009: Connecticut Huskies
(Scott Rovak, US PRESSWIRE)
2008: Tennessee Lady Volunteers
(David Butler II, US PRESSWIRE)
2007: Tennessee Lady Volunteers
(Jim McIsaac, Getty Images)
2006: Maryland Terrapins
(Jim McIsaac, Getty Images)
2005: Baylor Lady Bears
(Andy Lyons, Getty Images)
2004: Connecticut Huskies
(Elsa, Getty Images)
2003: Connecticut Huskies
(Elsa, Getty Images)
2002: Connecticut Huskies
(Andy Lyons, Getty Images)
2001: Notre Dame Fighting Irish
(Elsa, Getty Images)
2000: Connecticut Huskies
(Andy Lyons, Getty Images)
1/26
NCAA women's basketball tournament champions since 2000
2026: UCLA Bruins
(Joe Rondone, The Republic)
1/26
NCAA women's basketball tournament champions since 2000
2026: UCLA Bruins
(Joe Rondone, The Republic)
2/26
NCAA women's basketball tournament champions since 2000
2025: Connecticut Huskies
(Kirby Lee, Imagn Images)
3/26
NCAA women's basketball tournament champions since 2000
2024: South Carolina Gamecocks
(Ken Blaze, USA TODAY Sports)
4/26
NCAA women's basketball tournament champions since 2000
2023: LSU Lady Tigers
(Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports)
5/26
NCAA women's basketball tournament champions since 2000
2022: South Carolina Gamecocks
(Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports)
6/26
NCAA women's basketball tournament champions since 2000
2021: Stanford Cardinal
(Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports)
7/26
NCAA women's basketball tournament champions since 2000
2019: Baylor Lady Bears
(Kim Klement, USA TODAY Sports)
8/26
NCAA women's basketball tournament champions since 2000
2018: Notre Dame Fighting Irish
(Joseph Maiorana, USA TODAY Sports)
9/26
NCAA women's basketball tournament champions since 2000
2017: South Carolina Gamecocks
(Matthew Emmons, USA TODAY Sports)
10/26
NCAA women's basketball tournament champions since 2000
2016: Connecticut Huskies
(Joe Robbins, Getty Images)
11/26
NCAA women's basketball tournament champions since 2000
2015: Connecticut Huskies
(Kim Klement, USA TODAY Sports)
12/26
NCAA women's basketball tournament champions since 2000
2014: Connecticut Huskies
(Don McPeak, USA TODAY Sports)
13/26
NCAA women's basketball tournament champions since 2000
2013: Connecticut Huskies
(Crystal LoGiudice, USA TODAY Sports)
14/26
NCAA women's basketball tournament champions since 2000
2012: Baylor Bears
(Chris Humphreys, US PRESSWIRE)
15/26
NCAA women's basketball tournament champions since 2000
2011: Texas A&M Aggies
(Elsa, Getty Images)
16/26
NCAA women's basketball tournament champions since 2000
2010: Connecticut Huskies
(Brendan Maloney, US PRESSWIRE)
17/26
NCAA women's basketball tournament champions since 2000
2009: Connecticut Huskies
(Scott Rovak, US PRESSWIRE)
18/26
NCAA women's basketball tournament champions since 2000
2008: Tennessee Lady Volunteers
(David Butler II, US PRESSWIRE)
19/26
NCAA women's basketball tournament champions since 2000
2007: Tennessee Lady Volunteers
(Jim McIsaac, Getty Images)
20/26
NCAA women's basketball tournament champions since 2000
2006: Maryland Terrapins
(Jim McIsaac, Getty Images)
21/26
NCAA women's basketball tournament champions since 2000
2005: Baylor Lady Bears
(Andy Lyons, Getty Images)
22/26
NCAA women's basketball tournament champions since 2000
2004: Connecticut Huskies
(Elsa, Getty Images)
23/26
NCAA women's basketball tournament champions since 2000
2003: Connecticut Huskies
(Elsa, Getty Images)
24/26
NCAA women's basketball tournament champions since 2000
2002: Connecticut Huskies
(Andy Lyons, Getty Images)
25/26
NCAA women's basketball tournament champions since 2000
2001: Notre Dame Fighting Irish
(Elsa, Getty Images)
26/26
NCAA women's basketball tournament champions since 2000
2000: Connecticut Huskies
(Andy Lyons, Getty Images)
Watkins was also key to South Carolina's most recent national championship, setting a program record with 15 defensive rebounds in theGamecocks' Final Four win over NC State. Watkins was an All-SEC selection that season and led the conference in blocked shots with 91.
