South-Carolina

What to know about Las Vegas Aces, including A’ja Wilson, ahead of game at South Carolina

Published

2 years ago

May 8, 2024

What to know about Las Vegas Aces, including A’ja Wilson, ahead of game at South Carolina

COLUMBIA — The two-time WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces will play a preseason game in Colonial Life Arena on Saturday against Team Puerto Rico. Game time is 1 p.m.

Led by former South Carolina women’s basketball star forward A’ja Wilson, the Aces will close their preseason in the home arena of the 2024 NCAA champions.

From Wilson to coach Becky Hammon and guard Kelsey Plum, here’s five things to know about the Aces before Saturday’s game.

Aces forward A’ja Wilson returns home

Wilson grew up in Columbia and is South Carolina women’s basketball most decorated player.

Wilson was on the team that won the program’s first NCAA title in 2017 and was named MVP of the tournament that year. In her senior season, she was selected the consensus National Player of the Year, All-America First Team, SEC Player of the Year and SEC co-Defensive Player of the Year.

Wilson holds the program’s career records in points (2,389), blocked shots (363), free throws made (597) and free throws attempted (835).

In 2018, she was the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA draft. Her success continued at the professional level with the Aces.

Wilson has won two WNBA championships with the Aces and was named finals MVP in 2023. Wilson is a two-time league MVP (2020, 2022), two-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year and a five time WNBA All-Star.

Aces coach Becky Hammon transforming the WNBA

After spending time coaching in the NBA with the San Antonio Spurs, where she became the first full-time female assistant in the league, Hammon took over as coach of the Aces in 2021. Hammon and the Aces won back-to-back WNBA championships in 2022 and 2023.

She was named Coach of the Year in 2022. In her first two seasons, she had a 60-16 (.789) record in the regular season and lost only three playoff games in two years.

Hammon played 16 seasons in the WNBA and was a six-time All-Star. In 2016, had her jersey was retired by the San Antonio Stars (now the Aces). She also played for the New York Liberty.

Aces point guard Kelsey Plum’s work with WNBA rookies

Plum, 29, has dominated the college level and WNBA for nearly a decade and is now working with many young players ahead of the WNBA season. Plum began her “Dawg’s Class” in partnership with Under Armor in 2023. Gamecocks guard Raven Johnson was part of the first class in 2023 and again in 2024 along with South Carolina sophomore MiLaysia Fulwiley.

Becky Hammon and Dawn Staley say ‘nobody wants to play us’

After revealing that the Gamecocks’ 2024 season will start in Las Vegas, coach Dawn Staley said that its been difficult forming a schedule because nobody wants to play South Carolina. To Aces reporters, Hammon said something similar.

“We couldn’t get anyone to play us,” Hammon said.

The Aces won the past two WNBA championships, and Staley won her second title in three years with the Gamecocks in April.

REQUIRED READING: How WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces, A’ja Wilson scheduled preseason game vs Puerto Rico at South Carolina

Former Iowa star, South Carolina rival Kate Martin looks to make Aces roster

Former Iowa guard Kate Martin was drafted by the Aces on April 15 and is hoping to make the final roster.

In the 2024 NCAA championship game, Martin scored 16 points and had five rebounds against South Carolina. In the Gamecocks’ 2023 Final Four loss to the Hawkeyes, Martin had seven points and seven rebounds.

Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at lkesin@gannett.com and follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @Lulukesin

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South-Carolina

South Carolina Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 results for Dec. 22, 2025

Published

5 hours ago

December 23, 2025

Press Room

South Carolina Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 results for Dec. 22, 2025

The South Carolina Education Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Dec. 22, 2025, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from Dec. 22 drawing

03-18-36-41-54, Powerball: 07, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 Plus FIREBALL numbers from Dec. 22 drawing

Midday: 7-1-1, FB: 2

Evening: 5-4-2, FB: 3

Check Pick 3 Plus FIREBALL payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 Plus FIREBALL numbers from Dec. 22 drawing

Midday: 2-4-1-3, FB: 2

Evening: 0-2-8-2, FB: 3

Check Pick 4 Plus FIREBALL payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from Dec. 22 drawing

Midday: 11

Evening: 14

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Palmetto Cash 5 numbers from Dec. 22 drawing

02-17-24-25-28

Check Palmetto Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from Dec. 22 drawing

14-32-47-48-69, Powerball: 17

Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

The South Carolina Education Lottery provides multiple ways to claim prizes, depending on the amount won:

For prizes up to $500, you can redeem your winnings directly at any authorized South Carolina Education Lottery retailer. Simply present your signed winning ticket at the retailer for an immediate payout.

Winnings $501 to $100,000, may be redeemed by mailing your signed winning ticket along with a completed claim form and a copy of a government-issued photo ID to the South Carolina Education Lottery Claims Center. For security, keep copies of your documents and use registered mail to ensure the safe arrival of your ticket.

SC Education Lottery

P.O. Box 11039

Columbia, SC 29211-1039

For large winnings above $100,000, claims must be made in person at the South Carolina Education Lottery Headquarters in Columbia. To claim, bring your signed winning ticket, a completed claim form, a government-issued photo ID, and your Social Security card for identity verification. Winners of large prizes may also set up an Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) for convenient direct deposit of winnings.

Columbia Claims Center

1303 Assembly Street

Columbia, SC 29201

Claim Deadline: All prizes must be claimed within 180 days of the draw date for draw games.

For more details and to access the claim form, visit the South Carolina Lottery claim page.

When are the South Carolina Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 10:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 11 p.m. ET on Tuesday and Friday.
Pick 3: Daily at 12:59 p.m. (Midday) and 6:59 p.m. (Evening).
Pick 4: Daily at 12:59 p.m. (Midday) and 6:59 p.m. (Evening).
Cash Pop: Daily at 12:59 p.m. (Midday) and 6:59 p.m. (Evening).
Palmetto Cash 5: 6:59 p.m. ET daily.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a South Carolina editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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South-Carolina

Dawn Staley adds pro player Alicia Tournebize to South Carolina roster for this season

Published

17 hours ago

December 22, 2025

Press Room

Dawn Staley adds pro player Alicia Tournebize to South Carolina roster for this season

Alicia Tournebize, a 6-foot-4 basketball player from France, is enrolling at South Carolina and will begin playing for coach Dawn Staley this season.

The program announced the news on Dec. 22, explaining that she “will join the team following the holiday break and begin classes at the start of the spring 2026 semester.”

Tournebize, 18, played for Tango Bourges Basket, a professional basketball club in France. She was seen dunking in multiple games, according to social media.

The No. 3 Gamecocks (12-1) have played with at most 10 players but mostly eight or nine this season, battling illness and injuries. Staley lost star forward to an ACL tear Chloe Kitts in September.

South Carolina closes non-conference play on Dec. 28 (noon ET, SEC Network) before opening SEC play against Alabama on Jan. 1 (2 p.m. ET, SEC Network+).

“Alicia has an incredible skill set and basketball IQ,” Staley said in the news release. “She has great touch around the rim, can shoot it out to the 3-point line and is a shot blocker.”

Her mother Isabelle Fijalkowski played at Colorado and was drafted into the WNBA by the Cleveland Rockets where she played from 1997-98 before returning to play in Europe. Fijalkowski is getting inducted in the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2026.

Alicia Tournebize will play for South Carolina, Dawn Staley this season

Staley has been in need of depth long before the season officially started.

Ashlyn Watkins announced in July she’s taking the year off instead of returning and then not long after, Kitts got injured. Kitts enrolled early three years ago, joining the 2022-23 team in December 2022 like Tournebize is doing.

South Carolina signed two recruits out of high school already, Kaeli Wynn and Kelsi Andrews, but Staley said neither will enroll early so it appeared as though she would play a full season with only 10 players until now.

Tournebize will likely work her way into the lineup the same way Adhel Tac and Maryam Dauda have behind starters Madina Okot and Joyce Edwards. Edwards is leading the team with 22 points per game, Okot is averaging 15.6.

South Carolina sits 261st of 359 Division I teams in bench points, averaging 17.0 per game so if Tournebize brings offensive production, it’ll greatly enhance Staley’s depth during conference play.

On her visit, Tournebize went to the South Carolina football game on Nov. 22 with some players and then watched the women’s basketball game on Nov. 23 against Queens.

She sat behind the bench, similar to where Wynn sat during an exhibition game on her visit in October.

Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at LKesin@usatodayco.com. Follow her on X@Lulukesin and Bluesky‪@bylulukesin.bsky.social‬

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South Carolina Lottery Pick 3, Pick 4 results for Dec. 21, 2025

Published

1 day ago

December 22, 2025

Press Room

The South Carolina Education Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Dec. 21, 2025, results for each game:

Winning Pick 3 Plus FIREBALL numbers from Dec. 21 drawing

Evening: 7-2-5, FB: 4

Check Pick 3 Plus FIREBALL payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 Plus FIREBALL numbers from Dec. 21 drawing

Evening: 3-7-0-4, FB: 4

Check Pick 4 Plus FIREBALL payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from Dec. 21 drawing

Evening: 14

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Palmetto Cash 5 numbers from Dec. 21 drawing

08-15-23-27-33

Check Palmetto Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

The South Carolina Education Lottery provides multiple ways to claim prizes, depending on the amount won:

SC Education Lottery

P.O. Box 11039

Columbia, SC 29211-1039

Columbia Claims Center

1303 Assembly Street

Columbia, SC 29201

Claim Deadline: All prizes must be claimed within 180 days of the draw date for draw games.

For more details and to access the claim form, visit the South Carolina Lottery claim page.

When are the South Carolina Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 10:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 11 p.m. ET on Tuesday and Friday.
Pick 3: Daily at 12:59 p.m. (Midday) and 6:59 p.m. (Evening).
Pick 4: Daily at 12:59 p.m. (Midday) and 6:59 p.m. (Evening).
Cash Pop: Daily at 12:59 p.m. (Midday) and 6:59 p.m. (Evening).
Palmetto Cash 5: 6:59 p.m. ET daily.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a South Carolina editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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