South Carolina
COLUMBIA, S.C. (03/20/2026) — The South Carolina Gamecocks began their postseason journey with an emphatic statement, overwhelming the Southern Jaguars in a 103-34 victory at Colonial Life Arena on Friday night. The Gamecocks controlled every facet of the contest, using a suffocating defense and a relentless, balanced offensive attack to leave no doubt from the opening tip.
South Carolina shot a blistering 55% from the field, dominated the glass with 57 rebounds, and shared the ball effectively, dishing out 24 assists against only 11 turnovers. The performance showcased the depth and firepower that has defined their season.
How It Happened
The tone was set just 26 seconds into the game when Joyce Edwards scored a layup to give South Carolina a lead it would never relinquish. The Gamecocks methodically built their advantage throughout the first quarter, with a Raven Johnson layup pushing the score to 19-6 just before the period ended.
The second quarter saw more of the same, as Ta'Niya Latson opened the frame with a driving layup to extend the lead. While the Jaguars found some offensive rhythm, with Olivia Delancy hitting a 26-foot three-pointer at the 4:35 mark, South Carolina had an immediate answer. Agot Makeer drained a 23-foot jumper less than a minute later, and the Gamecocks took a commanding 44-19 lead into halftime.
Any hope of a Southern comeback was extinguished immediately in the third quarter. Madina Okot's three-pointer just 13 seconds into the half ignited a massive 20-0 run for South Carolina. During this stretch, the Gamecocks' defense completely shut down the Jaguars, while the offense fired on all cylinders. A three-pointer from Tessa Johnson at 6:26 made the score 58-19, and by the time the run concluded, the game was firmly out of reach. The offensive barrage continued into the final frame, with Ayla McDowell's three-pointer at the 2:24 mark pushing South Carolina past the century mark before a final free throw from Maryam Dauda settled the score at 103-34.
Turning Point
The decisive sequence was the clinical 20-0 run that opened the second half. Leading 44-19 at the break, South Carolina came out of the locker room and completely dismantled the Jaguars. The run, which started with Madina Okot's three-pointer and featured lockdown defense and transition scoring, stretched the lead from 25 to 45 points in a matter of minutes. It erased any possibility of a comeback and turned a dominant performance into an absolute rout.
Star of the Game
While the box score reflects a total team effort, the offensive spark provided by Tessa Johnson and Ta'Niya Latson stood out. Johnson was lethal from beyond the arc, connecting on a barrage of three-pointers in the second half that fueled South Carolina’s biggest runs. She hit critical threes at 6:26 and 2:13 in the third quarter, then added two more in the fourth to help put the game away.
Latson was a primary facilitator and scorer, consistently breaking down the defense to create for herself and others. Her driving layups put pressure on the Southern interior, and her vision led to multiple assists, including setups for three-pointers by Agot Makeer and Ayla McDowell.
What It Means
For the South Carolina Gamecocks, this was a near-perfect start to their postseason. The offensive efficiency, defensive intensity, and contributions from up and down the roster send a clear message to future opponents. Advancing with such a decisive victory allows the Gamecocks to maintain their rhythm and confidence as the competition stiffens.
For the Southern Jaguars, the loss marks a difficult end to their season against one of the nation's elite teams. Despite the lopsided score, players like Olivia Delancy and Jaylia Reed connected from long range, showcasing the fight that brought them to this stage. The experience of competing at this level provides a valuable benchmark for the program moving forward.