Edwards Explodes for Career-High 34 as South Carolina Dominates USF 103-44
Joyce Edwards established a new career scoring mark for the second consecutive game as South Carolina overwhelmed South Florida in a 103-44 victory Thursday night.
Edwards posted 34 points along with five rebounds, two blocks, one assist, and one steal while shooting an exceptional 14-of-15 from the field and 6-of-8 from the free-throw line.
Across her last three outings, Edwards has tallied 25, 29, and 34 points respectively while connecting on 36-of-46 shots (78.3 percent). USF head coach Michele Woods-Baxter acknowledged the defensive challenge Edwards presents.
“Absolutely, she is,” Woods-Baxter said when asked if Edwards is among the toughest matchups she’s faced. “Someone at 6-3 that can do a little bit of all of that, and she’s smart and she’s patient. She’s patient, she takes her time, and when she makes her move, it’s quick and she usually finishes.”
Dawn Staley attributed Edwards’ success to her competitive nature.
“Joyce is a competitor. Joyce wants to score a lot of points and she’s very capable of doing that,” Staley explained. “I think the most important thing about Joyce is she’s a competitor. She wants to win.”
Edwards herself remained characteristically modest about her performance.
“Just doing what the game gives me,” Edwards said. “With these nonconference teams we’ve got to come in with a dominant mentality and come out strong, and I feel like we’re doing that.”
While Edwards led the way, all five starters reached double figures. Tessa Johnson contributed 16 points, Ta’Niya Latson added 15, Raven Johnson scored 11, and Madina Okot returned from a one-game absence with 12 points and 10 rebounds for her eighth double-double in 11 games.
South Carolina’s aggressive approach was evident from each quarter’s opening possession. The Gamecocks launched 6-0 runs to begin the first and second quarters, extended that to 8-0 over 95 seconds in the third period, and unleashed a devastating 16-0 surge to start the final frame. Additional scoring bursts of 10-0, 11-2, and 8-0 punctuated the offensive display.
The team shot 62.9 percent overall and distributed 20 assists on 44 field goals—tying the program’s Staley-era record for made baskets in a single game, previously set against Clemson in 2023.
South Carolina capitalized on 23 USF turnovers for 38 points and generated 34 fast-break points, maintaining an up-tempo style even following made baskets.
“We have to play that way,” Staley noted. “I don’t know if our half-court sets have matured enough for us to walk the ball up and set up. We have to give ourselves a chance to score in transition first.”
Reserve contributions included Maddy McDaniel’s seven points and five assists. Adhel Tac recorded five points and eight rebounds. Ayla McDowell struggled offensively (1-of-6 shooting, three points) but contributed three steals. Maryam Dauda grabbed seven rebounds despite not scoring.
Defensively, South Carolina limited USF to 31 percent shooting. Jelena Bulajic paced the Bulls with 10 points, while leading scorers Katie Davidson and Stefanie Ingram combined for just 10 points—12 below their season average.
Additional Notes:
USF wore black uniforms with neon green accents while South Carolina donned white. Agot Makeer missed her fourth consecutive game due to concussion protocol; she traveled and was on the bench but did not participate in warmups. Brooklyn Hall, younger sister of former Gamecock Bree Hall, has enrolled early at USF with plans to redshirt this semester. Bree attended the game supporting both teams. South Carolina outrebounded USF by 14 and converted 10 offensive rebounds into 11 second-chance points. The Gamecocks reached 103 points despite shooting just 4-of-15 from three-point range and 11-of-18 from the free-throw line. Staley wore a black Gucci sweatsuit featuring a sublimated logo. Announced attendance was 3,767. South Carolina next faces Florida Gulf Coast on Saturday.
