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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COLUMBIA, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) — Voter turnout is surging across South Carolina as the primary approaches, with more than 100,000 voters already casting their ballots early.
Election officials say participation is on track to be especially strong this year, with more voters expected before the week is over.
South Carolinians have already cast nearly 30% of the total number of primary ballots that were cast in 2024, and early voting isn’t over yet.
The South Carolina State Election Commission says voters cast more than 151,000 ballots last week. In the first week of 2024 early voting, voters cast 120,000 ballots.
Across the entire 2024 primary season, including runoffs, voters cast 527,000 ballots total. Nearly 3.4 million South Carolinians are registered to vote.
Early voting runs from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. through the end of this week. There is no early voting on Monday, June 8, and primary day is Tuesday, June 9. Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.
Elections Director Conway Belangia said the numbers should only continue to grow.
“We always feel that as we get closer to that last day of voting early that our numbers will increase,” Belangia said. “If that happens then again we’re looking at just phenomenal numbers.”
Richland, Charleston and Greenville counties are leading the state in voter turnout.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
South-Carolina
South Carolina gas prices fall to $3.85 per gallon, officials warn volatility may return
LOWCOUNTRY, S.C. (WCIV) — The average price of gas in South Carolina has dropped a significant 18.9 cents per gallon in the past week, setting a new average for Monday and following a similarly dropping national trend.
According to GasBuddy the new average cost of a gallon of gas has been recorded at $3.85 per gallon as of Monday. This price point was determined through a survey of 3,028 stations across South Carolina.
“Average gasoline prices declined in all 50 states over the last week, with GasBuddy now tracking 15 states where the average price of gasoline has fallen below $4 per gallon, offering motorists some of the most widespread relief seen in weeks,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. “Much of the decline was driven by falling oil prices and the unwinding of recent price cycles, as growing optimism surrounding a potential U.S.-Iran agreement helped ease concerns over global oil supplies.”
Though this price is reportedly 11.3 cents per gallon lower than a month ago, it is still a full $1.12 per gallon higher than a year ago.
READ MORE | Trump ‘laser-focused’ on making deal with Iran, but ready to take military action: Hegseth
The cheapest station in the state was priced at $3.40 per gallon on Sunday, while the most expensive was $4.89 per gallon, a whopping difference of $1.49 per gallon. With a near $2 difference, it may be worthwhile for motorists to do a bit of hunting around for the cheapest gas in the area.
Meanwhile the national average price of gas fell a similar but slightly higher 19.5 cents per gallon in the past week, now averaging $4.26 per gallon as of Monday. This average is down 17.8 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands $1.18/g higher than a year ago, according to GasBuddy data compiled from more than 11 million weekly price reports covering over 150,000 gas stations across the country.
GasBuddy reports however that the coast is anything but clear, and motorists should not get comfortable just yet with these lower prices.
“Oil prices edged higher Sunday evening as uncertainty surrounding a potential deal persisted and renewed Israeli attacks added another layer of geopolitical risk. While motorists may continue to see some short-term relief, some price-cycling states could soon experience another upward swing as retailers run out of room to lower prices further. Overall, any setback in negotiations could quickly reverse the recent decline in fuel prices,” said De Haan.
EASTOVER, S.C. (WIS) — Hundreds gathered at the McCrady Training Center Sunday afternoon to send off approximately 400 members of the South Carolina National Guard.
The 122nd Engineer Battalion held its departure ceremony for service members and their families before deploying to Washington, D.C.
The National Guard members will be in the nation’s capital for the “Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful Mission,” which is a collaboration between the Guard and law enforcement following a federal push cracking down on crime in several communities across America.
Emotional sendoff
The ceremony highlighted the emotional bridge between South Carolina and the mission ahead. Kids clung to their parents’ uniforms while spouses shared quiet words.
“It’s very emotional, but I’m very proud that he is going and helping keep the peace and serving our country,” said one U.S. Army National Guard member’s wife.
Robert Graham, a member of the 122nd Engineer Battalion, said the separation will be difficult.
“It’s very emotional. We spend a lot of time together, and that is going to be the hardest part about this mission,” Graham said.
Jay Sirmon, commander of the 122nd Engineer Battalion, said the turnout demonstrated the dedication of the service members.
“I think this is a testament to their dedication, and when the nation calls and when the state calls, they leave their civilian jobs, they leave their schools, and they go wherever they are called to serve,” Sirmon said.
The number one goal is to keep citizens, tourists, and everyone coming to D.C. safe, according to Sirmon.
“We will be assisting the metro police department and other federal agencies to make sure that everybody in the D.C. area is safe this summer,” Sirmon said.
For some families, while this is not their first deployment, they say this mission feels different as the nation prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday.
Cody Puckett, operations NCO of the 122nd Engineer Battalion, said the deployment stands out.
“It’s very different, especially considering being in the capital, knowing that you have so many people in one spot, all the special events that are coming up, and just having that many soldiers on the ground,” Puckett said.
Community support
Sirmon said the community involvement never fails to surprise him.
“The community involvement, especially with the National Guard, is tremendous, and it never fails to surprise me when we have events like this, you’re able to see how many people showed up in support, and that means a lot,” Sirmon said. “When these soldiers go away from home, whether that’s overseas to a combat zone, or in the United States to a mission such as this, they remember this event, and they remember the support that we have.”
One wife said the ceremony was not a goodbye, just a see you later.
“I’m so proud of him and everything that he does and everything for the military as well as for our family. I’m going to get emotional, but yeah. I’m glad he’s getting to go on this experience and get to help out and do everything he needs to do, but he’s definitely going to be missed, and I’ll be glad when he’s back home,” she said.
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Copyright 2026 WIS. All rights reserved.
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