South Carolina women's basketball: It's time for Tessa Johnson to be more than just "Tournament Tessa"

Tessa Johnson has accomplished a lot in her first two seasons, highlighted by her star turn in the 2024 national championship game. But her role is about to expand, and for South Carolina, it’s Tessa Time.

Last season, Johnson averaged 8.4 points in 21.2 minutes, along with 2.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists. She shot 47.4% overall and 43.0% from three. 

Compared to her freshman season, Johnson improved her statistics in almost every category. She played more, had more points, rebounds, assists, almost everything. It wasn’t just because her playing time went up by a couple of minutes a game.

Johnson’s advanced stats show her becoming a more well-rounded player, no longer just a three-point shooter. She became more effective scoring in the midrange and driving, and her assist percentage went up. 

Equally as important as her offensive stats, Johnson’s defensive plus/minus ranked 12th in the SEC. 

What the stats don’t show is Johnson’s inconsistency. She scored 15 points in the opener against Michigan, but an ankle injury against NC State cost her two and a half games, and she couldn’t build on the momentum. 

The whole season went that way. Johnson scored in double figures in four straight games after Christmas, including a career-high 22 at Mississippi State, but that was the only time during the regular season that Johnson hit double figures in consecutive games (she did hit double figures in the SEC semifinal and final).

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There were nine games in which Johnson attempted four shots or fewer. She seemed content to float along and let the game come to her. That was okay as a freshman. But when Dawn Staley said before the SEC Tournament that she wanted “Tournament Tessa” to show up, Johnson took it personally.

Even though the nickname “Tournament Tessa” is meant as a compliment, it also implies that regular-season Tessa doesn’t play as well. 

“I would like me to play like Tournament Tessa stinking every single game,” she told me during the NCAA Tournament. “And I need to be more consistent throughout the season. If I was consistent throughout the season and also (added on) in the tournament, then I would like Tournament Tessa.” 

But Tournament Tessa still showed up, except for the Duke game. She shot 52.4% from three and got to the line 21 times, compared to just 36 times all season. 

Next season, Johnson will likely take over Bree Hall’s starting spot. She also has to take over Hall’s broader responsibilities. She has shown that she is capable, including the same knack for hitting clutch baskets that Big Shot Breezy had, but there is no safety net.

Hall guarded the other team’s best perimeter player. Johnson got some familiarity with that role last season when Hall needed a break, but now the responsibility is all hers. 

The last two seasons, South Carolina had Johnson, Hall, and Te-Hina Paopao to space the floor. All three shot over 40% from behind the arc. Now it is just Johnson. 

After the national championship loss to UConn, I asked her what the biggest lesson was as she steps into a bigger role.

“Every team goes out there and wants it. They’re going to put their body on the line for the games,” Johnson said. “It’s not going to come easy, so we have to stay disciplined and stay focused.”

The Gamecocks add an elite scorer in Ta’Niya Latson, who led the nation in scoring last season. Latson likes to score off the dribble, which means she needs three-point shooters to create space for her to operate. 

At Florida State last season, Latson had three teammates who took at least 100 threes. Johnson is South Carolina’s only returning player with at least 100 attempts.

That’s just one example of why South Carolina needs Tournament Tessa every game. Madison Booker still needs to be defended. So do LSU’s three guards. And if there’s one thing Johnson learned last season, it’s that she doesn’t like losing.

“We’re not done yet,” she said.

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