South Carolina women's basketball: Joyce Edwards leads South Carolina to an exhibition win over Memphis
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Camden native Joyce Edwards was outstanding in her debut as South Carolina cruised to a 106-63 exhibition win over Memphis.
In last season’s exhibition against Rutgers, it was MiLaysia Fulwiley, a freshman from Columbia, who stole the show. New year, new freshman, same result.
Edwards wasted no time making an impact. She had a double-double by the end of the first half with 10 points and 10 rebounds, and Edwards finished with a game-high 19 points, 12 rebounds, and two assists.
“Joyce has been unofficially a gamecock for a long time. She made it official in the fall,” Dawn Staley said. “It’s important for her to get minutes, it’s important for her to get experience, it’s important for her to play multiple positions, it’s important for her to see the type of impact that we know she’s going to make not only in our program but in her game of women’s basketball. We need players like Joyce for our future to be as bright as it’s going to be.”
Edwards was one of four Gamecocks in double figures. Chloe Kitts also had a double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds. Te-Hina Paopao had 12 points, and Fulwiley had 10.
Fulwiley appeared to injure her left ankle late in the third quarter. She landed awkwardly after going for a block and had to be helped off the court. She stayed on the bench for the fourth quarter but did not return to the game.
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“MiLaysia, she’s alright,” Staley said after the game. “She twisted her ankle. Sometimes players like that, they’ve never been hurt, they get hurt and it scares them more than anything. She’s a pretty shy individual so she gets hurt and all eyes are on her forever. She doesn’t like people looking at her, not in that way. She loves when people look at her showcasing her generational talent.”
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South Carolina controlled the game in its familiar way: dominate the glass, pound the ball inside, sprinkle in some threes, and play suffocating defense.
Memphis scored first, but South Carolina answered with a 12-0 run to take control. The Tigers trailed by double-figures until late in the second quarter when they pulled within 38-30. The Gamecocks answered with a 12-2 run and the game never got close again.
South Carolina outrebounded Memphis 58-25, had 74 points in the paint, shot 3-11 from three, and shot 53% overall.
Memphis shot 35%, but the Tigers were able to get a number of open looks from three. Staley would certainly like to see those cut down before the season opener.
“They know where they want their shots to come from,” Staley said. “We probably just out-talented them.”
South Carolina was just 3-6 from the foul line in the first half, but made 18-19 in the second half.
Notes:
Freshman point guard Maddy McDaniel was not in uniform. She is recovering from minor surgery on her right knee. … Staley wasn’t sure redshirt freshman Adhel Tac would play, but Tac ended up playing eight minutes and notching six points, five rebounds, and a block. … All eleven available Gamecocks played and scored and grabbed a rebound. … Tilly Boler had 16 points to lead Memphis. … Dawn Staley’s clothes: Staley wore a garnet sweater over a St. Jude t-shirt. The assistant coaches all wore the same t-shirt. … Announced attendance was 8,748.
