The third-ranked South Carolina women’s basketball team travels to face USF on Thursday, December 18, with tipoff scheduled for 7 p.m. on ESPN2.
Team Overview
South Carolina Gamecocks (10-1)
- Head Coach: Dawn Staley
- Leading Scorer: Joyce Edwards (20.3 ppg)
- Leading Rebounder: Madina Okot (11.1 rpg)
USF Bulls (6-5)
- Head Coach: Michele Woods-Baxter
- Leading Scorer: Edyn Battle (14.2 ppg)
- Leading Rebounder: L’or Mputu (8.7 rpg)
South Carolina’s Defensive Dominance
The Gamecocks’ defense has been suffocating this season, allowing opponents to exceed 69 points just once while holding every team below 50 percent shooting. Only two opponents have reached 40 percent from the field, contributing to South Carolina’s sixth-ranked national standing in field goal percentage defense at 25.6 percent.
Offensively, the team has been equally impressive, reaching 90 points six times—including three century marks—while shooting at least 50 percent in six contests and exceeding 60 percent three times. These numbers place South Carolina eighth nationally in scoring (90.5 ppg) and third in field goal percentage (52.7 percent).
The transition game has been particularly effective, with South Carolina averaging 26.0 fast break points per contest (second nationally) while allowing only 7.2.
Individual Standouts
Joyce Edwards continues her National Player of the Year campaign, ranking 18th nationally at 20.3 points per game. Her six 20-point performances already surpass last season’s total, capped by recent outputs of 25 and a career-best 29 points. She became the program’s first player with consecutive 25-point games since A’ja Wilson accomplished the feat against Kentucky and LSU in February 2018.
Ta’Niya Latson, a preseason All-American, has adapted well to her expanded role, averaging 19.7 points and 5.0 assists over the last three games. Her combined contribution through scoring and assists amounts to 30.3 points per game, representing 32.5 percent of team scoring in that span.
Senior point guard Raven Johnson boasts a remarkable 117-6 record since her redshirt freshman season, including 36-4 against ranked competition. This year, she’s displaying career-best offensive efficiency with 9.4 points per game on 50 percent shooting and 40.7 percent from beyond the arc.
The bench production has surged in December. Three primary reserves—Ayla McDowell (7.7 ppg), Maddy McDaniel (5.7 ppg), and Maryam Dauda (4.5 ppg)—have combined for 16.7 points per game while shooting 47.1 percent from three-point range and grabbing 8.7 rebounds over the last three contests.
Key Statistics
- All five starters have averaged double-figure scoring and at least 3.2 rebounds over the last five games
- South Carolina outscores opponents by 9.9 points in opening quarters
- The Gamecocks hold a 130-attempt advantage in free throws over opponents (third nationally)
Series History
South Carolina holds a 2-0 advantage in the all-time series, with both meetings occurring in Columbia over the past four seasons.
Last December, the third-ranked Gamecocks defeated USF 78-62 behind strong first and third quarters and 51.7 percent shooting. Edwards led with 15 points while Johnson distributed six assists.
Their initial meeting came during the second round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament, where South Carolina cruised to a 76-45 victory en route to a third consecutive Final Four appearance.
Road Warriors
The program holds a 319-263 (.548) all-time road record, with Staley posting a 145-48 mark (.751) in away games—the best road winning percentage in program history.
Interior Excellence
Despite featuring a guard-heavy roster, South Carolina continues to dominate inside. With 55.8 percent of scoring coming in the paint, the Gamecocks rank second nationally with 50.5 paint points per game and outscore opponents by 28.5 points in that area, including a 10.7-point advantage against ranked foes. They’re converting 63.8 percent of paint attempts compared to opponents’ 40.9 percent accuracy.
