South-Carolina

South Carolina finds confidence, momentum in comfortable win over Arkansas

Published

1 year ago

February 21, 2025

South Carolina finds confidence, momentum in comfortable win over Arkansas

Everyone feels better, but did anything change?

South Carolina women’s basketball did what everyone almost certainly knew it would, demolishing SEC-worst Arkansas 95-55 in its first game following the blowout loss to UConn. It was a rare breather in the middle of a grueling SEC schedule, an opponent with worse metrics than even some of the non-conference opponents and an atmosphere that did not even resemble any of the big games of the last two months.

In a way it felt like South Carolina (24-3, 12-1) was more playing against itself than anything, especially after Dawn Staley spoke yesterday about her team getting back to its identity.

“A common theme is we just didn’t play a resemblance of who we are,” Staley said. “In the losses, the common theme has been — whether people forced us to play that way or it was self-inflicted — it really just wasn’t us, and we have to get back to us.”

Did the Gamecocks do that?

Defensively, they certainly did. South Carolina completely took SEC leading scorer Izzy Higgenbottom out of the game, holding her to 10 points on 17 shot attempts and never allowing a player more than capable of heating up quickly to find her footing. Tight coverage on the wing, solid help defense and an outstanding job by South Carolina’s point guards did the job, and particularly from MiLaysia Fulwiley. Arkansas head coach Mike Neighbors said as much post-game, crediting South Carolina’s super sub as the biggest reason his best player struggled.

“That’s a compliment,” Fulwiley said. “I take pride in my defense and I work really hard on it. Just for him to say that means that people see it and see that I’m really trying and putting effort in.”

South Carolina was always going to get whatever it wanted on offense in this game. Arkansas is dead last in the SEC in scoring defense by a considerable margin, over seven points worse than the next-closest team. But in a game where it would score at will, getting some individual players going was a positive sign.

Bree Hall hit a season-high 3-pointers, Tessa Johnson knocked down two in a row after only making five total in the last seven games, and even Maryam Dauda had nine points and eight rebounds against her former team.

“I thought she looked more relaxed than at any time during the season,” Staley said about Dauda. “She had reason to be nervous about playing against her former team, but I just thought she gave us some really good minutes. We put her in early to see what she looked like, and she just looked calm.”

It is almost unthinkable to suggest a team this talented and decorated needed some confidence, but that was the buzzword of the night. Struggling shooters saw the ball go through the basket. Fulwiley felt comfortable enough to pull off several of her dazzling moves around the basket, moves Joyce Edwards called ‘mind-blowing’ after.

Nothing is going to come this easily again until a likely No. 16 seed is on the other bench in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, but the Gamecocks still greased the wheels and found some positive momentum.

“I thought we were more like ourselves when it came to just the toughness piece of it,” Staley said. “The extra effort on the board, the loose balls, I thought we wanted to win all of them. There weren’t any that we allowed to just happen without some resistance.”

In the grand scheme of things, this will be one of the more forgettable games of the regular season for South Carolina. This one will be very far in the rearview mirror by the time tomorrow’s practice starts, much less when Sunday’s tricky road test at Vanderbilt tips off.

But at least for tonight, South Carolina made it straightforward. Fulwiley had a couple dazzling highlights, the defense was lackdown and the fourth quarter allowed Staley to get her starters some rest before a two-game road swing.

“I was very confident compared to how confident I’ve been in the past,” Fulwiley said. “A lot of layups were falling for me, and I was just excited. It made me feel good about taking more layups, and my teammates pushed me through and gave me that confidence and that boost I needed.”

Calm, relaxed, confident. On a night where the outcome was never going to be in question, that qualifies as a success.

*******************************************************************************************

Looking to continue the conversation? Join us on the insider’s forum to talk all things South Carolina women’s basketball

Source link

South-Carolina

Motorcyclist critically injured in Longs area crash

Published

11 hours ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

Motorcyclist critically injured in Longs area crash

HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WPDE) — One person was critically injured in a motorcycle crash in the Longs area on Thursday afternoon, according to Horry County Fire Rescue (HCFR).

Just before 2:00 p.m., crews responded to the area of Old Highway 31 near Hidden River Road.

MORE: 1 critically injured in vehicle rollover near International Dr.

One person was transported to the hospital as a result of the motorcycle crash, HCFR said.

Officials ask that drivers avoid the area as lanes of traffic are currently blocked.

The incident is under investigation by the South Carolina Highway Patrol with assistance from the Horry County Police Department.

Source link

South-Carolina

South Carolina’s Raven Johnson carries her grandfather’s legacy into Sweet 16

Published

23 hours ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

South Carolina’s Raven Johnson carries her grandfather’s legacy into Sweet 16

Alyssia Hamilton
| Special to USA TODAY

COLUMBIA, SC ― With the clock winding down and pressures of the Women’s NCAA Tournament rising, South Carolina senior guard Raven Johnson isn’t playing just to win. She plays in honor of a voice she can no longer hear – but that she still carries with her every time she steps onto the court.

That motivation was on full display Monday night, as the No. 1-seeded Gamecocks took down No. 9 USC to advance to the Sweet 16. Johnson earned her 1,000th career point ― what would prove to be her last point at Colonial Life Arena ― on a steal and fast-break layup that brought a roar from the crowd. The Gamecocks will face No. 4 Oklahoma Saturday in Sacramento, with another Elite Eight appearance on the line.

For Johnson, the moment symbolized something deeper – a career shaped by the memory of her late grandfather. Johnson’s family watched as she achieved the milestone, her mother, grandmother and twin brother. It was a full circle moment for a player whose journey took root in her grandparents’ home.

Her grandparents helped raise her and her twin brother, Richard Johnson. The family lived together and she often calls her grandmother “mother” and her grandfather “papa,” reflecting the impact they had on her upbringing.

“My grandparents did a really good job,” Johnson said. “We wouldn’t be playing sports if it wasn’t for them.”

The Boones introduced the twins to basketball through their church and spent countless hours training them, often pushing them past their limits. A sergeant first class in the Army Reserves, he supervised soldiers in his unit and brought that same discipline to his grandchildren on the court, being demanding, structured and determined.

“I remember being outside and he was training us and I thought it was so hard. I wanted to give up,” Johnson said. “I used to cry, and he would be like ‘You’re not going to cry in my face, and you’re not going to give up.’ It was little things like that that made me tough.”

The standard of grit, accountability and composure, is something Johnson carries today.

“She’s just a winner and she’s a great point guard,” said South Carolina senior guard Ta’Niya Latson, who also played with Johnson at Westlake High School in Atlanta. “When she’s confident, we’re confident. When she’s poised, we’re poised. It’s hard to have that type of personality and leadership on the court, but she carries it well.”

Rodrick Boone was diagnosed with stomach cancer in December 2012 and died in April 2013 while Johnson was at a tournament in New Orleans. She was 10 years old.

“I remember I shut down,” Johnson said. “My mind went blank. I was like ‘What?’ I thought he was untouchable.”

Months after her grandfather’s death, something shifted in her mindset.

“I think that’s my why,” Johnson said. “I keep going today because he is my why.”

As a child, Johnson didn’t even like basketball. She preferred T-ball and cheerleading and thought basketball wasn’t for girls, until she saw Notre Dame’s Skylar Diggins and began to see herself differently.

“She was so pretty to me and I remember asking ‘Can I be girly and hoop?’” Johnson said.

She was the only girl on her recreational team, earning the nickname “Killer” for her defensive intensity alongside her brother, nicknamed “Thriller” for his offensive ability. The boys tested Johnson by playing physical and trying to push her out of the sport.

“I used to be cooking them out there a little bit, and I think they didn’t like that,” Johnson said.

She said the boys trying to make it hard on her actually made her tougher both physically and mentally.

Her grandmother, Connie Boone, said her grandfather would be proud of what Johnson has become.

“He might be crying but he would be happy about it,” her grandmother said. “You start them young, but you never know what the outcome is going to be.”

Johnson imagines the conversations she’d be having with her papa if he was still here.

“He would still be on my butt riding me, he’ll tell me maybe I need to fix something,” Johnson said. “He’ll be happy and I think he’ll be like ‘All right let’s get back to the drawing board. Let’s get ready for the next opponent.’”

She knows her papa is always watching, and she talks to him a lot at night.

“I just want to tell him that I’m going to keep pushing through even when it gets tough,” Johnson said. “He’s always telling me to push through because nobody cares. Nobody cares if you’re at your lowest, nobody cares.”

On Monday, fans chanted “Raven, Raven, Raven” as she walked off the court for the final time at Colonial Life Arena, Johnson’s moment was bigger than the scoreboard.

It was about diligence, progress and a promise kept.

With another game ahead and the possibility of a deeper tournament run, she isn’t finished. She continues to push and play for the voice that gave her a reason to begin.

Alyssia Hamilton is a student in the University of Georgia’s Carmical Sports Media Institute.

Source link

South-Carolina

Orleans County man faces peeping tom charge in South Carolina

Published

1 day ago

March 25, 2026

Press Room

Orleans County man faces peeping tom charge in South Carolina

Rochester, N.Y. — An Orleans County man faces a peeping tom charge in South Carolina after a woman said he left an audio recording device in her home.

According to an incident report from the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office, an officer responded to the home Jan. 24 for a report of a possible peeping tom or voyeurism incident. The victim told the officer she had been in a relationship with Nicolas Vagg from May-October 2024 and said he traveled from New York to visit her in 2024.

The woman told the officer she found a small black rectangular device in her bedroom. She later determined it was a recording device. She said she connected the device to her phone and found audio recordings captured during her time with Vagg, as well as others from her interactions with another man after she and Vagg broke up.

Vagg, 32, of Albion turned himself in Tuesday, according to the report. He was charged with sex/ peeping tom, eavesdropping or peeping.

Georgetown County Detention Center records indicate Vagg was initially held on $2,000 bond and released later Tuesday.

The victim received a no-contact order of protection, according to the incident report. Vagg’s next court date is scheduled for May 28.

Source link