Joyce Edwards Reaches 1,000-Point Milestone at Historic Pace
Joyce Edwards etched her name into South Carolina basketball history Thursday night, becoming one of the fastest players in program history to score 1,000 career points during the Mississippi State matchup.
The Milestone Moment
The historic achievement came with dramatic timing. Entering the contest with 982 career points, Edwards needed just 18 to reach the four-digit threshold. The moment arrived with 6:29 remaining in the third quarter when she drew a foul in transition. Standing at the free-throw line with the milestone within reach, Edwards displayed remarkable composure, sinking both attempts as the crowd erupted in celebration.
Historic Context and Comparisons
What makes Edwards’ accomplishment particularly remarkable is the speed at which she achieved it. Reaching 1,000 points in her 64th career game, she outpaced two of the program’s most legendary scorers: A’ja Wilson, who needed 69 games, and Sheila Foster, who reached the mark in her 68th game. Both Wilson and Foster currently hold the distinction of being the top two scorers in program history.
Only four players in South Carolina history have reached 1,000 points faster than Edwards: Katrina Anderson (47 games), Beth Hunt (48 games), Denise Nanney (57 games), and Shannon Johnson (59 games). This places Edwards fifth all-time in the speed of reaching this milestone.
Adding another layer of significance, Edwards joins extremely exclusive company as only the third sophomore in program history to achieve 1,000 career points. Wilson and Foster are the only other players to accomplish this feat as sophomores, further cementing Edwards’ place among the program’s elite.
Season Performance and Projections
Edwards is currently averaging 20.3 points per game this season—a scoring pace that carries significant historical weight. If she maintains this average through season’s end, it would rank among the top ten single-season scoring averages in program history.
More impressively, she could become only the second player of the Dawn Staley era to average 20 points in a season, joining Wilson, who averaged 22.6 points during the 2017-18 campaign. Since Shannon Johnson’s three consecutive 20-plus point seasons from 1993-96, only Wilson and Jocelyn Penn (23.9 points in 2002-03) have reached this threshold for South Carolina.
Career Trajectory
Edwards maintains a career scoring average of 15.6 points per game, which currently ranks 10th in program history. While this pace trails the program’s top three career scorers—Shannon Johnson (20.9 points), A’ja Wilson (17.3 points), and Sheila Foster (16.9 points)—it’s worth noting that Johnson played nearly 30 fewer games than the others, making her average particularly exceptional.
Looking Ahead: Multiple Milestones on the Horizon
Edwards may not be alone in reaching the 1,000-point club this season. South Carolina has two other players approaching this prestigious threshold:
Tessa Johnson needs 136 points and is averaging 14.1 points this season, putting her on pace to reach 1,000 during the SEC Tournament or early in the NCAA Tournament.
Raven Johnson requires 127 more points and, at her current scoring rate, could hit the milestone during the NCAA Tournament.
Additionally, Ta’Niya Latson has accumulated 2,399 career points, though 2,095 came during her time at Florida State, making her South Carolina total 304 points.
Conclusion
Joyce Edwards’ achievement represents not just a personal milestone but a continuation of South Carolina’s rich tradition of elite scorers. Her rapid ascent to 1,000 points, accomplished as a sophomore at a pace that surpasses program legends, signals the emergence of another generational talent in Columbia. As she continues her career, Edwards appears positioned to challenge program records and further cement her legacy in one of college basketball’s premier programs.
