McDowell Helps Brazil Earn Spot in 2027 FIBA AmeriCup

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina women’s basketball sophomore Ayla McDowell helped Brazil’s national team to a third-place finish at the FIBA South American AmeriCup Qualifier last week. The effort sealed that nation’s spot in the 2027 FIBA AmeriCup scheduled for July 3-11 in San Salvador, El Salvador.

Last week marked McDowell’s second tournament with the senior national team for Brazil, including playing on the 2025 FIBA AmeriCup team that finished second at that event. She has also represented at the youth level in the 2024 U18 AmeriCup and the 2025 U19 World Cup.

In this tournament, McDowell played in four of the team’s five games, adding 4.8 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists on her 17.9 minutes per game. She scored her tournament high with nine points in the third-place game against Colombia on Sunday while also adding five rebounds in that outing.

In her debut season at South Carolina, McDowell played in 36 games, including 15 SEC outings and 15 of the team’s 19 games against ranked opponents. She averaged 4.1 points on 40.5 percent shooting, including 36.3 percent from 3-point range. She poured in a career-best 16 points, including in her first career start against Mississippi State, which included five made 3s.

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