South Carolina guard Ta’Niya Latson made her highly anticipated return to the court Sunday afternoon, playing for the first time since the Gamecocks’ road trip to Auburn 14 days earlier. The senior guard took the floor wearing a full leg sleeve and knee brace for South Carolina’s crucial Southeastern Conference showdown, showing no signs of rust in a dominant performance.
Immediate Impact Despite Limited Minutes
Latson wasted no time making her presence felt, taking the game’s opening shot—a long three-pointer that missed—before scoring her first points just two minutes later. Despite playing in limited spurts throughout the first half, she led the Gamecocks in scoring at halftime with 11 points in just 14 minutes, the least playing time among South Carolina’s starters.
The knee brace, while visually prominent, proved no hindrance to Latson’s effectiveness. Her familiarity with the equipment dated back to her time at Florida State, where she had worn a knee brace in select games.
“I wasn’t too foreign to that,” Latson said. “Just getting back in shape and getting reps in practice has helped me a lot going into the game.”
A Team-High Performance
Latson finished Sunday’s historic victory with a team-high 21 points, alongside one assist, one rebound, and four steals, leading South Carolina to a 93-50 demolition of Tennessee—the largest loss in Lady Vols program history.
Head coach Dawn Staley credited both the physical support of the knee brace and Latson’s mental preparation for the successful return.
“And I think Ta’Niya got herself in a comfortable mindset,” Staley said. “Anytime you sustain any kind of pain or injury, you think you’re not the same player. So you don’t do things like you’re the same player.”
Staley emphasized that the strategic decision to ramp Latson up through practice all week while holding her out of Thursday’s game proved crucial to her confidence and readiness.
High School Chemistry Rekindled
One of the game’s highlights was the renewed connection between Latson and point guard Raven Johnson, her high school teammate. In the third quarter alone, Latson matched Tennessee’s entire team with three made field goals, showcasing the dominant form that has made her one of the SEC’s premier players.
“We played against a lot of these girls in AAU, and played with them in high school,” Latson said. “So we just told each other, like, okay, it’s like, it’s like high school.”
The chemistry between the two guards was evident throughout the game, particularly on highlight-reel plays that demonstrated their innate understanding of each other’s tendencies.
Controlling Their Own Destiny
The victory elevated South Carolina to 24-2 overall and 10-1 in SEC play, putting the Gamecocks in sole control of their destiny in the race for the SEC regular season championship.
Latson acknowledged the heightened expectations that come with their position atop the conference standings. “The target on their back increased due to Sunday’s win,”.
However, Staley maintained that the pressure is nothing new for a program that has consistently operated at championship level.
“I’m hoping it works adversely for our opponents. They play so hard that it gets them out of whack,” Staley said, according to On3. “And I hope we just stay calm when dealing with the wave of pressure that comes with (it).”
Looking Ahead
Latson’s successful return provides a significant boost as South Carolina prepares for its primetime showdown against No. 6 LSU on February 14. With their full arsenal now available—or close to it—the Gamecocks appear poised to make a strong push toward both the SEC championship and their ultimate goal of another national title.
The combination of Latson’s scoring prowess, Johnson’s playmaking, and the team’s tactical versatility demonstrated against Tennessee positions South Carolina as a formidable threat to any opponent down the stretch.
Source: On3
