Women's Hoops at USF Thursday Night

South Carolina Gamecocks (10-1)
Head Coach: Dawn Staley
Top Scorer: Joyce Edwards (20.3)
Top Rebounder: Madina Okot (11.1)

USF Bulls (6-5)
Head Coach: Michele Woods-Baxter
Top Scorer: Edyn Battle (14.2)
Top Rebounder: L’or Mputu (8.7)

Gamecock Notables

• As the South Carolina defense continues to gel, the Gamecocks have yielded more than 69 points just once this season and have not allowed any opponent to reach 50.0 percent shooting with just two reaching 40.0 percent. The latter figure has South Carolina ranked sixth in the nation in field goal percentage defense at .256.

• On the other side of the ball, the Gamecocks have scored at least 90 points six times this season, including three 100-point games and shot at least 50.0 percent six times, highlighted by three games of at least 60.0 percent accuracy. South Carolina is eighth in the NCAA with a 90.5 scoring average and third in field goal percentage at .527.

• South Carolina has been outstanding in transition this season, averaging 26.0 fast break points per game to rank second in the nation. The Gamecocks have allowed just 7.2 fast break points per game.

• National Player of the Year candidate Joyce Edwards is 18th in the nation with 20.3 points per game this season. She has six 20-point games already this season – one more than her freshman year total – including 25 and a career-high 29 points in her last two outings. She became the first Gamecock to have back-to-back 25-point games since A’ja Wilson had 29 and 27 against Kentucky and LSU, respectively, in February 2018.

• Preseason All-American Ta’Niya Latson is growing more and more comfortable with her new more balanced role. Over the last three games, she is second on the team in both scoring (19.7 ppg) and assists (5.0 apg). Between the two, she has had her hands on 30.3 points per game, which is 32.5 percent of the team’s total scoring in that stretch.

• Senior point guard Raven Johnson’s basketball career is among the most successful in the country. Since her redshirt freshman season, she has led South Carolina to a 117-6 record, including a 36-4 mark against ranked opponents. This season the pass-first point guard has been showing off a career-best offensive efficiency of her own. Johnson is scoring 9.4 points per game on 50.0 percent shooting, including 40.7 percent from 3-point range.

• South Carolina’s bench is coming alive in December as it benefits from more experience. The three primary reserves over the last three games – Ayla McDowell (7.7 ppg), Maddy McDaniel (5.7 ppg) and Maryam Dauda (4.5 ppg) – have  combined for 16.7 points per game, shot 47.1 percent from 3-point range and averaged 8.7 rebounds in that stretch.

By the Numbers
5 – Over the last five games, all five South Carolina starters average at least 10.0 points and 3.2 rebounds.

+9.9 – The Gamecocks are outscoring opponents in the first quarter by an average of 9.9 points.

130 – South Carolina is third in the nation with 130 more free throw attempts than its opponents.

The USF Series
The Gamecocks are 2-0 all-time against the Bulls with both games played in Columbia in the last four seasons.

Then-No. 3 South Carolina defeated USF 78-62 on Dec. 15, 2024, behind dominant first and third quarters and 51.7 percent shooting for the game. Joyce Edwards led the Gamecocks with 15 points and Raven Johnson handed out six assists.

The two teams first met on Mar. 19, 2023, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament with South Carolina posting a 76-45 victory en route to its third-straight NCAA Final Four appearance.

Road Ready
The Gamecocks are 319-263 (.548) all-time in road games (some records prior to 1976-77 did not include location of games), including a 145-48 mark (.751) under head coach Dawn Staley, giving her the best road winning percentage in program history.

Paint Production
South Carolina has long controlled the paint, and this season is no different, even with a guard-dominated roster.

With 55.8 percent of the Gamecocks’ points coming in the paint, the Gamecocks are second in the nation with 50.5 paint points per game and are out-scoring opponents in that space by an average of 28.5 points, including a +10.7 edge against ranked opponents. They are shooting 63.8 percent in the paint compared to opponents’ 40.9 percent accuracy.