Women's Basketball . December 14, 2025

Edwards’ Career Night leads No. 3 South Carolina Past Penn State

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Joyce Edwards had a career-high 29 points and four blocks as No. 3 South Carolina used a strong third quarter to beat Penn State 95-55 on Sunday.

The Gamecocks (10-1) had just eight players and were missing 6-foot-6 starter Madina Okot and reserve freshman Agot Makeer. But behind Edwards’ scoring inside, South Carolina started 19-3 after the break to take control over the Lady Lions (6-4).

Ta’Niya Latson added 18 points while two other starters, Raven Johnson and Tessa Johnson, scored 15 points apiece.

Edwards, a sophomore, had a basket in the final period to surpass her previous best of 28 against Florida in February.

South Carolina announced a short time before tipoff that leading rebounder and shot blocker Okot and bench player Makeer would miss the game. Okot, who’s averaged 14.8 points and 11.1 rebounds, had started the first 10 games before missing this one against the Lady Lions.

Okot leads the country with seven games with double figures in points and rebounds.

Okot had 10 points and nine rebounds in last Sunday’s 106-42 victory over North Carolina Central. But she left midway through the second quarter and did not return. Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley said after that win that Okot had felt ill during the game and that kept her from playing in the second half.

Without Okot, the Gamecocks used reserves Adhel Tac and Maryam Dauda to front the Lady Lions’ top scorer in Gracie Merkle, who came in averaging more than 22 points a game. She had two first-half fouls and played just nine minutes as South Carolina led 46-34 at the break.

Merkle finished with nine points and nine rebounds before fouling out. Kiyomi McMiller led Penn State with 22 points.

Gamecock Notables

All eight Gamecocks who played got on the board, with four finishing in double digits.
The Gamecocks were dominant in the paint, outscoring Penn State 60-24.
South Carolina swiped 17 steals, marking a new season-high.
The Gamecocks capitalized off the Lady Lions’ 26 turnovers, scoring 33 off them, and out-scoring them on the fast break 41-9.
The South Carolina defense held Penn State to just 55 points, nearly 28 points below its season average of 82.8 points in addition to holding Penn State’s leading scorer, Gracie Merkle to nine points after she entered the game averaging over 22 ppg.
Joyce Edwards had a solid all-around game, putting up a career-high 29 points, six steals and four blocks. It marked her sixth game this season, scoring more than 20 points.
Maddy McDaniel was also hot on offense, netting a season-high nine points. Her two 3s marked the most she has scored in a game in her career.
Raven Johnson also saw a season high at 15 points, with seven coming in the first quarter.
Ta’Niya Latson finished with a near double-double, scoring 18 points and handing out eight assists, a new Gamecock career high for Latson as a Gamecock.