Angel Reese posts 2 words for South Carolina star as Dawn Staley’s Gamecocks blow away Iowa State

Dawn Staley and the No. 4 South Carolina Gamecocks returned to winning ways on Thursday. They defeated the No. 15 Iowa State Cyclones 76-36 in their opening game of the Fort Myers Tip-Off.

South Carolina's top recruit, Maddy McDaniel, recorded four points and four assists in her 13-minute appearance off the bench. Her performance caught the eye of Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese.

Reese shared a story on Instagram where she hyped up McDaniel while watching her score a layup on television and added a kind message for the talented freshman.

Angel Reese quickly praised Maddy McDaniel and the South Carolina Gamecocks on Instagram.

"My baby @maddymcdaniel," wrote Reese.

Reese has emerged as one of McDaniel's biggest cheerleaders in recent times. Last month, the former LSU Tigers star cheered her fellow Maryland native on with a kind message for her media day post on Instagram.

Dawn Staley’s Gamecocks enjoy dominant win on the road

The Gamecocks looked sharp on offense against the Cyclones, shooting 45.7% from the field and 35.3% from three-point range. They were equally impressive in defense, out-rebounding the Cyclones 46-32.

Dawn Staley and the South Carolina Gamecocks enjoyed an impressive win on the road.

Sania Feagin and No. 2 recruit Joyce Edwards finished as joint top-scorers for the reigning national champions, scoring 13 points each. Edwards, in particular, was the star of the show, coming off the bench to record a double-double. She won 11 rebounds in her impressive 23-minute performance.

Feagin and Edwards were also the most effective shooters on their team, going an identical six-for-eight from the field. Ashlyn Watkins also played her part, coming off the bench to score six points and grab eight rebounds to cap off a field day for the Gamecocks.

The Gamecocks' defeat to the UCLA Bruins this Sunday cost them in the AP Top 25, as they lost three places to rank fourth in its latest update. They will look to build on today's win in their final game of the Fort Myers Tip-Off as they face the Purdue Boilermakers on Saturday at 11 a.m. ET.