Senior Night in Columbia isn’t just a ceremony — it’s a reflection of how sustained excellence has become the standard under . As South Carolina prepares to honor Maryam Dauda, Raven Johnson, Ta’Niya Latson, and Madina Okot, each senior represents a different path that helped shape another championship-caliber season.
Forward Chloe Kitts, also a senior, will not participate after missing the season with a torn ACL. She plans to return for her redshirt senior year. Ashlyn Watkins, who also sat out, is expected back in May.
Maryam Dauda: The Quiet Anchor
Dauda’s numbers — 2.7 points and 3.3 rebounds per game this season — won’t overwhelm anyone. But her impact has rarely been about box scores. After transferring from Arkansas following a redshirt year, she embraced a role-player identity while becoming a steady locker room presence.
Her defining stretch came in the 2025 SEC Tournament semifinals when she outplayed Oklahoma’s Raegan Beers, plus delivered a clutch block and rebound against LSU that cemented her role as the first post off the bench.
“Dauda is one of the sweetest young ladies you would ever have the pleasure of meeting.”
Already a graduate pursuing a master’s degree, Dauda’s long-term future may be off the court — but her reliability helped sustain South Carolina’s championship depth.
Raven Johnson: The Engine
Few players embody the program’s dominance like Johnson. In her four seasons, South Carolina has gone 136-7. Though she redshirted after a torn ACL early in her career, she has been “PG1” since midway through her redshirt freshman season.
Johnson’s growth is clearest this year. Averaging 9.8 points and 5.4 assists, she’s flirting with triple-doubles and delivering in clutch moments — including back-to-back 17-point games to open SEC play and a career-high 19 at LSU. In tight contests, Staley trusts her to make the right decision. She usually does.
Her résumé is stacked: two national titles, multiple SEC crowns, fourth on the program’s all-time assists list, and first in assist-to-turnover ratio. The signature moment? Her steal and layup against in the national championship game — now an iconic play in program history.
Even in adversity — including a national semifinal remembered for what she didn’t do — Johnson responded with 13 points on 3-of-6 shooting from three. Her career has been about resilience, leadership, and control.
Ta’Niya Latson: The Proven Scorer Who Evolved
Latson arrived with star power. A former national scoring leader at Florida State, she transferred to chase championships and prepare for the WNBA. Her scoring average (14.8 ppg) has dipped from her career 20.9 mark, but the efficiency and defense have climbed.
Despite ankle and knee injuries, she remains second on the team in scoring. She tied the game with two free throws against Texas in Las Vegas and delivered a 21-point, two-way performance in wins over Vanderbilt and Tennessee.
Once known purely as a bucket-getter, Latson has turned into a defensive playmaker down the stretch — a transformation that reflects buy-in to winning basketball over individual numbers.
Madina Okot: The Dominant Force
Okot’s journey — from playing in Kenya while awaiting visa clearance to becoming an SEC force — might be the most remarkable. South Carolina needed a dominant post; Okot wanted elite preparation. The partnership exceeded expectations.
She’s averaging 13.4 points and 10.6 rebounds, leading the SEC in rebounding while piling up double-doubles. Her late-game heroics are mounting: six straight points to beat Louisville, 17 rebounds plus clutch buckets to defeat LSU, and even three three-pointers against Ole Miss — making her the tallest SEC player in 25 years to hit three in a game.
She hasn’t just filled a void; she’s imposed her will.
Collectively, this senior class tells the story of modern South Carolina basketball: resilience (Johnson), sacrifice (Latson), development (Okot), and selfless leadership (Dauda). Senior Night won’t just celebrate careers — it will underline why the Gamecocks remain the standard.
