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Things are starting to look scary good for No. 3 South Carolina, and scary bad for their opponents. (Even if they’re not among the unbeatens.)
On Sunday afternoon, with only eight active players, the Gamecocks delivered a 40-point thrashing to a Power Four opponent, sending Penn State back to Happy Valley with a 40-point defeat.
Dawn Staley’s team put on a defensive clinic that balanced attention-to-detail and aggression—all without Madina Okot, the game-changing senior center who owns the best defensive rating on the team.
Okot has an undisclosed illness or injury. Before missing the win against Penn State, she exited South Carolina’s victory over NC Central after the first half because, according to Staley, she was feeling “a little sick.” Staley, however, has resisted indicating whether Okot will be available for the first leg of their two-game trip to Florida. On Thursday, Dec. 18, the Gamecocks will be in Tampa to take on South Florida (7 p.m. ET, ESPN2) . They will then head to Fort Myers to meet Florida Gulf Coast on Saturday, Dec. 20 (2 p.m. ET, ESPN+).
On Wednesday, Staley remained evasive about Okot’s condition, saying, “I don’t know, pick and choose what you want. She was out. Doesn’t matter if it was an injury, she was out.” The head coach did relay that Okot, as well as freshman Agot Makeer, who has been in concussion protocol since Dec. 3, practiced on Wednesday.
In spite of the uncertainty surrounding two key contributors, the Gamecocks’ performance while depleted inspires a certain confidence that a full-strength South Carolina is ready to reach, or already reaching, another gear, in large part due to their three best players.
Joyce Edwards is a South Carolina superstar
Gamecock legend A’ja Wilson gave Joyce Edwards her stamp of approval after the sophomore’s latest, greatest game.
Edwards displayed her potential for all-round dominance with 29 points on 65 percent shooting, six steals, five assists, four rebounds, four blocks and no turnovers against Penn State, earning a “Keep killing it,” from Wilson via an Instagram story.
The sophomore Edwards has nearly eliminated the rough edges that characterized her freshman season, as she has harnessed her athleticism, refined her skills and begun to emerge into a fully-formed star. There’s an assuredness that, along with her increased and more efficient production, has situated Edwards as the burgeoning superstar who will determine South Carolina’s upside.
Her consistency as scorer is encouraging, as, after averaging 14.3 points per game as a freshman, she’s scored more than that in all but two of South Carolina’s 11 games. Edwards also is tapping into her ability to leverage defensive attention into distribution opportunities, evidenced by back-to-back games of six and five assists. Such playmaking can unlock another level to her game, while some lingering shakiness at the foul line is her only glaring weakness.
Ta’Niya Latson is finding her Gamecock groove
Ta’Niya Latson’s transition from being a great scorer on a good team to a great player on an even greater team was going to require an adjustment period.
That adjustment period, however, might be expiring. The former Seminole super scorer who came to South Carolina with the intention of rounding out her game while contributing to a championship contender is beginning to do just that.
No longer an overburdened offensive engine, Latson is enjoying the most efficient scoring season of her college career, shooting almost 52 percent from the field and over 45 percent from 3. Her season-best 32 points against NC Central was a bit of a throwback performance, albeit with better efficiency. She’s also reduced her turnovers while still meeting her career average for assists. Against Penn State, she tossed a season-high eight dimes, only coughing up the ball once.
Latson’s commitment on the other end is more striking. Only 5-foot-8, Latson is not blessed with defensive length. Yet, she’s marshaling her improved strengthen and increased intensity to form a menacing perimeter defensive pairing with Raven Johnson. On Sunday, her four steals served as a testament to her defensive dedication.
Raven Johnson is the ultimate stabilizer for South Carolina
Speaking of Raven Johnson, the super senior point guard, just like Edwards and Latson, is shining due to a more polished game.
The defense, always Johnson’s strength, has been better than ever, as she consisntely plays bigger that her listed 5-foot-9 height by using her length, smarts and quickness to cause problems for opponents and make plays that turn into South Carolina points.
Offensively, she’s not only worked to become a reliable jump shooter, hitting a career-high 50 percent from the field and 40.7 percent from 3, but done so while likewise becoming an even more proficient point guard, as she’s also dishing a career-best 6.4 assists per game. Johnson also successfully modulates her scoring and passing roles. When the moment demands it, she more confidently calls her own number, taking a jumper or getting to the hoop. At other times, she’s firing hitting ahead passes, feeding the hot hand or swinging the ball to a teammate in need of a touch.
Johnson’s sophisticated two-way point guard play is why, as Staley often exclaims, she’s the ultimate winner—and a big reason why South Carolina is going to keep winning.
