South Carolina cruised to a 95-45 victory over Penn State in women's basketball on Sunday. Ta'Niya Latson exploded for 18 points, eight assists, six rebounds and four steals after halftime. The Gamecocks' defense stifled the Lady Lions, limiting them to 55 points on poor shooting.
The South Carolina Gamecocks women's basketball team dominated Penn State with a 95-45 win on Sunday at Colonial Life Arena. The game highlighted a strong second-half performance, particularly from guard Ta'Niya Latson, who struggled early but erupted in the third quarter with seven points, four assists and three steals. She finished with 18 points, six rebounds, eight assists and four steals, embodying the playmaking force the team needs.
"Halftime was just a reset button for her," teammate Maddy McDaniel said. "She was able to come out full speed."
Despite the blowout, free-throw shooting was a concern for South Carolina, hitting only 15 of 28 attempts (53.6%). Entering the game, the Gamecocks shot 73.4% from the line, ranking sixth in the SEC. Misses included 2-of-6 from Joyce Edwards, 1-of-4 from Maryam Dauda, 1-of-3 from Maddy McDaniel, 0-of-2 from Adhel Tac and 2-of-4 from Tessa Johnson. Coach Dawn Staley noted the issue has turned mental: "We practice them every day. Every single day. There’s not a day that goes by. It’s becoming a little mental now. We can’t just say it’s going to fix itself. We probably need to practice a little more over here."
Defensively, South Carolina shone without key players Madina Okot and Agot Makeer. They held Penn State, who averaged 82.8 points on 50.4% shooting and 37.1% from three, to 55 points, 31.5% field goal shooting and 5-of-26 from beyond the arc. Standout Lady Lions scorer Gracie Merkle, 10th in the nation at 22.3 points per game, was limited to nine points.
"We wanted to make sure that she didn’t get any direct passes in to her," Staley said. "When the ball goes in the air, we didn’t go for the ball, we maintained contact with her and crowded her space."
This victory underscores South Carolina's defensive potential amid an inconsistent season.
