South Carolina women's basketball: Ta'Niya Latson scores 20, Gamecocks rout Grand Canyon

Ta’Niya Latson scored 20 points and Raven Johnson flirted with a triple-double as South Carolina cruised to a 94-54 season-opening victory over Grand Canyon.

Latson led the nation in scoring last season at Florida State, averaging 25.2 points. South Carolina lacked a go-to scorer last season, so when Latson entered the transfer portal, it seemed like a perfect marriage. 

If Monday night was any indication, they are still on their honeymoon. Latson needed just 10 shot attempts to get her 20 points. South Carolina ran a variety of plays for Latson, including posting her up at the elbow, and she delivered every time.

Perhaps the most encouraging aspect of Latson’s performance was that she dominated the game within team concepts, adding four assists with just two turnovers.

“It means a lot,” Latson said. “That was my first official home game here. It was a good experience. The fans came out. My teammates, they gave me confidence. I was comfortable coming into the game, so I’m just happy.”

Raven Johnson, Latson’s high school teammate, had 11 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists. She tied her career-high with three threes, all in the first half. Latson and Johnson each assisted on two of the other’s baskets.

“She makes things easier,” Johnson said. “My instinct is to find her. Don’t ask me why it’s like that, but it’s like that. She brings out the best in me.”

Joyce Edwards got into foul trouble in the first half and never got into a rhythm, scoring just 13 points. Madina Okot had 12 points and four rebounds. But Tessa Johnson more than picked up the slack.

Johnson followed up on her 19-point performance in the exhibition against North Carolina with another 19 points on Monday. She shot 8-13 from the floor and 5-6 from three. Like Latson, Johnson scored in a variety of ways, including drives and pullups. She also added five rebounds and three assists.

“They’re very efficient,” Dawn Staley said of her guards. “They practice that way. They practice like it’s a game. So when it’s game time, it’s the same type of rhythm.”

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South Carolina shot 59.6% for the game and had 19 assists against only 11 turnovers. The defense was inconsistent, but still held Grand Canyon to 27.4% shooting and didn’t allow a field goal over the final 7:18. South Carolina had 22 points off of 17 turnovers.

“It was really undisciplined basketball,” Staley said. “Luckily, we can put points on the scoreboard.

“I finally got to see what a lot of other teams experienced here the last two years,” said Grand Canyon coach Winston Gandy, who was a Gamecock assistant the last two seasons.

Getting some bling to start the night ✨ pic.twitter.com/1tiVuSIZ31

— South Carolina Women's Basketball (@GamecockWBB) November 3, 2025

Grand Canyon won 30 games last season, but returned only two players from that NCAA Tournament team. Gandy had to bring in 11 transfers and four freshmen for his first team.

The inexperience was evident, as Gandy played 14 players to try to find a group that had chemistry. 

“South Carolina’s got a few go-to players,” Gandy said. “We’ve got to figure out who ours are.”

Chloe Mann, a preseason All-Mountain West selection, had 15 points. Ale’Jah Douglas had a team-high 16. Anisa Jeffries, a transfer from Mexico, added 11 points.

Notes:

Before the game, the Gamecocks received their rings for winning the SEC regular season and tournament championships and making the Final Four last season. They also hung the new banners for the accomplishments. … Winston Gandy and Chloe Rice, a former Gamecock staffer who is now an assistant coach at Grand Canyon, also received their rings. …  This was the first game of a home-and-home series. South Carolina will play a return game at Grand Canyon next season. … After shooting 4-18 from three in both exhibitions, South Carolina began the game 4-8 and finished 9-19. … Maddy McDaniel had to be helped off the court in the third quarter after apparently banging knees with an Antelope player. She did not return. “Maddy’s pretty tough, so I’m not too worried,” Staley said. … Gandy joked that he went to the wrong locker room before the game. … Dawn Staley’s outfit: Staley wore a black Louis Vuitton sweater. … Announced attendance was 15,601. … South Carolina’s next game is on Friday against Bowling Green.

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