South-Carolina
Jazzy Davidson Shares Blunt Truth After USC’s Season-Ending Loss to South Carolina
USC Trojans freshman guard Jazzy Davidson went from making NCAA Tournament history to facing a harsh reality in less than 48 hours. After powering USC past the Clemson Tigers with a record-setting performance, the freshman star and the Trojans were overwhelmed by No. 1 seed South Carolina Gamecocks in a 101-61 loss Monday night at Colonial Life Arena, ending their season in the Round of 32 one year after an Elite Eight run.
Davidson Looking For Redemption Despite Historic Freshman Year
Even in defeat, Davidson’s freshman season left a lasting mark, both on USC’s program and the national stage. Davidson finished the season leading USC in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks, a rare across-the-board dominance that underscores her all-around value.
Nonetheless, despite a dynamic and historic freshman campaign, the Trojans’ star was blunt about where her development must go from here. Individual success took a backseat to the bigger picture Monday night, and Davidson made it clear her focus has already shifted toward elevating her team to championship contention.
“I need to get better. That’s kind of the bottom line. I think obviously it’s hard to lose in general, but losing this way really sucks. I think I could’ve done a lot better for my team today,” said Davidson.
After the loss, she reflected on how much the season shaped her both on and off the court, emphasizing growth as the foundation for what comes next.
“I’ve grown so much not only as a player but as a human being. I’m really excited for the offseason, get back in the gym, get better and I’m excited to come back next season,” Davidson said after the loss.
That combination production, perspective, and accountability is what will turn a breakout freshman into another foundation pillar for a national contender.
Big Ten Player of the Year award winner. Named National Freshman of the Year by The Athletic. Featured on First Team All-Big Ten, the All-Big Ten freshman team and the All- Big Ten defensive team. Only freshman in the conference featured on all three. But for Davidson, the individual accolades weren’t enough.
Trojans Get Physically Dominated
From the opening tip, South Carolina imposed its will. The Gamecocks attacked USC’s interior defense early, with forward Joyce Edwards and center Madina Okot combining to score nine of the team’s first 11 points. That tone never shifted.
South Carolina finished with 60 points in the paint and controlled the glass behind Okot’s 15-point, 15-rebound performance and Edwards’ 23-point, 10-rebound double-double. The Gamecocks’ physicality exposed USC’s frontcourt limitations and forced the Trojans into uncomfortable possessions throughout the night.
Turnovers only made matters worse. USC committed 27 turnovers, which South Carolina converted into 29 points. A 16–0 run late in the first half turned a competitive stretch into a 51-21 halftime deficit, effectively ending the game before the break.
Davidson, coming off a historic 31-point performance against Clemson, was limited to 16 points on 5-of-15 shooting while battling foul trouble. Senior guard Londynn Jones led USC with 20 points, but the Trojans never found consistent rhythm offensively. Simply put, this was a matchup where USC’s margin for error disappeared quickly and South Carolina capitalized on every mistake.
Trojans Get Reinforcements in 2027
While the season ends on a lopsided note, USC’s long-term outlook remains strong. The Trojans are assembling one of the nation’s top recruiting classes, highlighted by five-star forward Sara Okeke joining an already loaded group that includes five-star guard Saniyah Hall and international talent Sitaya Fagan.
Pair that incoming talent with returning contributors like star guard JuJu Watkins, Davidson, and a returning guard in Kennedy Smith, and the foundation is clear. What looked like a rebuilding year without Watkins quickly shifts into a potential Final Four blueprint.
There’s also added context behind that optimism. Watkins’ torn ACL during last year’s NCAA Tournament reshaped expectations for this season, contributing to USC entering March Madness as a No. 9 seed. With her return on the horizon and elite talent incoming, the timeline accelerates quickly back to the old normal.
Monday night showed the gap between USC and an elite program like South Carolina. The next step is closing it and Davidson already sounds ready to help lead that charge.
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The Lions may be looking for a safety within the first two rounds due to injuries to Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch. That’s where Jalon Kilgore may come in. He has some minor injuries, but appears to be a relatively low-risk prospect for a team that needs to add health to that room.
Here is the excerpt of my medical report on Jalon Kilgore:
Jalon Kilgore, S (21) – South Carolina
Projected round 2-3.
Concern level 2/10
While his availability has been excellent, Kilgore has a history of hamstring strains in 2025 and 2023. If his 2024 injury is found to be also a hamstring, then happenstance becomes a disturbing trend.
With fast-twitch athletes, hamstrings are going to be very common, and generally don’t present any long-term issues. The difficult trick will be to determine if a certain player is more prone to hamstrings.
What helps Kilgore a lot is his young age.
For more Lions coverage, follow us on X, @TheLionsWire, and give our Facebook page a like. Follow Jimmy on X, @JimmyLiaoMD
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.
Dawn Staley & Gamecocks on ‘rusty’ start in huge win over Southern U
Dawn Staley and Joyce Edwards on their ‘rusty’ start in their first game in two weeks that turned into a massive 69-point win NCAA tournament.
Sports Pulse
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.
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