Joyce Edwards' career-high leads South Carolina women's basketball's rout of Florida

Joyce Edwards scored a career-high 28 points to lead South Carolina to a 101-61 rout of Florida.

If there was any question about how South Carolina would respond to its first conference loss in over three years, the Gamecocks answered it quickly. South Carolina started the game with a 7-0 run and then added 9-0 and 10-0 runs later in the first quarter. 

“We just wanted to get back in the win column, just to feel good, get back to some normalcy when it comes to playing the style of play we need to play on both sides of the ball,” Dawn Staley said.

South Carolina led 36-15 after the first quarter. It was the most points South Carolina has scored in a quarter this season and tied for the second-most in a quarter in program history.

By halftime, South Carolina led 62-32 and tied the program record for points in a first half against an SEC opponent. It was the type of score more commonly seen in a random December game than a late-season SEC battle. It also equaled South Carolina’s total offensive output from the loss at Texas.

“I feel like (at) Texas we weren’t really us,” Edwards said. “Florida today, we were us. Sunday hopefully we’re us.”

South Carolina cooled off in the second half but maintained a nearly 30-point lea for most of the half. It extended the lead to 40 points late in the fourth quarter. MiLaysia Fulwiley converted a three-point play with 1:01 left to tie South Carolina’s season-high for points.

“South Carolina is one of the best teams in the country for a reason,” Kelly Rae Finley said. “That’s why South Carolina is as good as they are. Not only are they talented but they play very well together.”

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South Carolina shot 46.2% and held Florida to 33.3% shooting. The Gamecocks were plus-14 rebounding and had 24 points off 17 turnovers while allowing just six points off six turnovers.

Edwards had the best game of her young career. She scored 28 points on 10-17 shooting, made all eight of her free throws, and added five rebounds, an assist, and a steal. Edwards’ 28 points were the most by a Gamecock since Zia Cooke scored 31 against Georgia in 2023 and a freshman SEC record.

“Yeah, man. A loss really makes you lock in,” Edwards said. “The word after that game was toughness. You don’t really know how tough you are until you get punched down. We just got back up.”

Te-Hina Paopao only played 20 minutes, yet still had one of the best games of her South Carolina career. She had 14 points on 4-5 shooting from three, plus seven rebounds and seven assists. The latter two are SEC career highs.

“She’s an elevator,” Staley said. “She elevates our team. When Pao hits a three it seems to allow all of us to exhale because she’s been that potent for us.”

Sania Feagin added 10 points, five rebounds, and two blocks. Chloe Kitts had five points, 12 rebounds, and tied her career-high with five assists. Raven Johnson had seven points, six rebounds, and two assists.

Fulwiley came off the bench to score 13 points with five steals.

Liv McGill and Ra Shaya Kyle each had 15 points for Florida.

Notes:
It was South Carolina’s annual Play 4 Kay game to raise awareness for the fight against breast cancer. Florida wore pink uniforms and South Carolina wore black and pink shooting shirts that said “Never Give Up” on the back. … South Carolina’s record for points in a quarter is 37, set in the first quarter against St. Peter’s in 2016 and in the fourth quarter against Maryland in 2023. … All 12 Gamecocks played. Everyone but Maryam Dauda scored. … Ashlyn Watkins attended the game, her first since surgery on her torn ACL. She walked stiffly with the help of a crutch. … Chloe Kitts’ younger sister Kylee is redshirting this season for Florida. She was on the bench but not in uniform. … South Carolina beat Oklahoma 101-60. … Dawn Staley’s outfit: Staley wore a black cardigan over the black shooting shirt that all of the Gamecocks wore. … Announced attendance was 16,708. … South Carolina’s next game is Sunday against UConn.

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