Women's Basketball . November 3, 2025

Latson Leads No. 2 South Carolina Past Grand Canyon

Postgame Press Conference

Game #1

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Ta’Niya Latson scored 20 points in her South Carolina debut to lead the second-ranked Gamecocks to a 94-54 victory over Grand Canyon to start the season Monday night.

It was the 15th straight opening victory under coach Dawn Staley, and Latson, who led the country in scoring at Florida State last season, was front and center. She scored the game’s opening bucket, then had a nifty drive for a layup a few moments later as the Gamecocks (1-0) took a 7-0 lead in the win over the overmatched Lopes (0-1).

South Carolina was up double digits less than five minutes in and gradually built the lead to 60-31 at the break. The Gamecocks kept pushing throughout as Staley looked for the right combination on her 10-woman roster that includes four newcomers, including Latson.

The news wasn’t all bad for Grand Canyon. First-year coach Winston Gandy and assistant Chloe Rice were given Southeastern Conference championship rings in a pregame ceremony for their time on the Gamecocks and Chloe Mann had a pair of four-point plays in the second quarter.

Ale’jah Douglas led the Lopes with 16 points.

NOTABLES

Ta’Niya Latson led the team with 20 points, shooting 70.0 percent (7-for-10) from the field, and added four assists and two steals. It was the 63rd 20-point game of her career.
Each of South Carolina’s starters finished with double-digit scoring. Latson led the way with 20, Tessa Johnson followed with 19 points, Joyce Edwards had 13, Madina Okot had 12, and Raven Johnson netted 11.
At halftime, Latson (11), Tessa Johnson (13), and Raven Johnson (11) had already hit the double-digit mark.
Raven Johnson was efficient on both ends of the floor, grabbing eight defensive rebounds and dishing out seven assists, nearly completing a triple-double.
Four players made their debuts in a Gamecock uniform. Transfers Okot and Latson each got the start, and freshmen Agot Makeer and Ayla McDowell both saw the floor.
McDowell put up nine points and grabbed a steal, while Makeer scored five points and accounted for two of the Gamecocks’ five blocks.
The Johnson and Johnson duo was active from behind the arc, with Tessa and Raven each netting three 3s apiece.
The Gamecocks were active in the paint, outscoring the Lopes 40-18.
Each of South Carolina’s players made an appearance in the game, with nine of 10 scoring at least a bucket.