LOS ANGELES – Sprouts Farmers Market’s The Real SC event sets the stage for a massive early-season clash Saturday night as No. 2/2 South Carolina takes on No. 8/10 Southern Cal at 9 p.m. ET inside Crypto.com Arena. The heavyweight matchup will be broadcast on FOX.
Team Breakdown
South Carolina Gamecocks (3-0)
- Head Coach: Dawn Staley
- Leading Scorer: Joyce Edwards (18.3 ppg)
- Top Rebounder: Madina Okot (9.0 rpg)
Southern Cal Trojans (2-0)
- Head Coach: Lindsay Gottlieb
- Leading Scorer: Londynn Jones (17.5 ppg)
- Top Rebounders: Kara Dunn & Kennedy Smith (6.0 rpg each)
Gamecock Notes & Key Stats
South Carolina enters the matchup boasting one of the most efficient offenses in the country. The Gamecocks are shooting 56.4% from the field, seventh-best nationally. Nine players are hitting at least 50% of their shots, with three ranking inside the SEC’s top 15 in shooting percentage. Defensively, they’re even more dominant—South Carolina owns the nation’s best field-goal percentage defense (.249).
Their rim protection is elite as well. South Carolina sits fourth nationally with 9.0 blocks per game and swats away 26% of opponents’ 2-point attempts, the second-highest rate in the country.
From deep, the Gamecocks are just as lethal, ranking sixth nationally at 56.4% from 3-point range. Starting guards Raven Johnson, Tessa Johnson, and Ta’Niya Latson are shooting a combined 48.1% from the perimeter, while freshmen Agot Makeer and Ayla McDowell are knocking down 6-of-11 (.545) from long range.
Individual Highlights
- Joyce Edwards
The freshman phenom is already on every major National Player of the Year watch list. She ranks fifth in the SEC in scoring (18.3), ninth in field-goal percentage (.600), and fourth in blocks (2.33). - Ta’Niya Latson
Last season’s national scoring leader is becoming a two-way force for the Gamecocks. She’s contributing 16.3 points, 3.6 assists, and showing increased defensive discipline as she settles into Staley’s system. - Tessa Johnson
Her offseason improvement is paying off big. Johnson is putting up 15.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.0 assists, nearly doubling her career highs from a year ago. Her size, composure, and shot-making have elevated her into one of USC’s most reliable pieces. - Raven Johnson
The four-year floor general remains the team’s engine. Johnson is averaging 6.7 assists (4th in SEC), posting a 4.0 assist-to-turnover ratio (also 4th), and adding 8.0 points and 4.7 rebounds while shooting an efficient 50%. - Madina Okot
Okot already has two double-doubles—tied for fifth most in the NCAA—and ranks ninth in the SEC in rebounds. She’s scoring 12.3 points on 57.7% shooting, continuing the elite efficiency she showed last year when she led the conference (64.9%).
By the Numbers
- 1.56 – Points South Carolina scores per offensive rebound.
- 82.7% – The Gamecocks’ winning percentage (24-5) against top-10 teams over the last four seasons.
- 119 – Consecutive AP Top-10 Poll appearances for USC, the longest active streak and eighth-longest in history.
History Against Southern Cal
South Carolina holds a perfect 3-0 record in the series. The teams split a home-and-home in the early 2010s, with the Gamecocks winning 70-50 in 2013 and 70-61 in 2014. The first meeting came in 1980 during the AIAW Satellite Tournament, also in Los Angeles.
Success vs. Ranked Opponents
Dawn Staley’s program continues to thrive in high-profile matchups. Since she arrived in 2008-09, the Gamecocks are 132-71 (.650) against ranked teams. That jumps to 117-32 (.785) since 2014-15 and an astonishing 47-5 (.904) since the start of 2021-22.
Tessa Johnson: From “Tournament Tessa” to “Trusted Tessa”
Junior guard Tessa Johnson is proving she’s more than a postseason hero. She ranks third on the team in scoring and is among the SEC’s leaders in multiple categories, including:
- Field Goal Percentage: 11th (.594)
- 3-Point Percentage: 14th (.467)
- Made 3s per Game: 11th (2.33)
Johnson’s evolution from her 2024 NCAA Tournament breakout—where she averaged 14.0 points and led the team with 19 in the national title game—has transitioned into consistent, game-to-game production. She’s embracing the role of a dependable two-way contributor every time she’s on the floor.
