COLUMBIA, SC – The SC Education Lottery Palmetto Series comes to women’s basketball Tuesday night when No. 2/2 South Carolina hosts Clemson in a 6 p.m. tipoff at Colonial Life Arena. The game will air on ESPN2.
Gameday Information
Doors Open: 5 p.m. | 4:30 p.m. for Fast Break Pass
South Carolina Gamecocks (2-0)
Head Coach: Dawn Staley
Top Scorer: Ta’Niya Latson / Joyce Edwards (18.5)
Top Rebounder: Madina Okot (7.5)
Clemson Tigers (2-0)
Head Coach: Shawn Poppie
Top Scorer: Mia Moore (15.5)
Top Rebounder: Hinds/Periman (5.5)
Gamecock Notables
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Tuesday’s game is the fourth South Carolina-Clemson matchup in the 2025-26 edition of the SC Education Lottery Palmetto Series, which the Tigers lead 2-0 after wins in men’s soccer and volleyball and a tie in women’s soccer.
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The Gamecock offense has been humming early, ranking 11th in the nation with 104.0 points per game behind 61.8 percent shooting that ranks third in the nation and sits stop the SEC. The team’s 67.8 percent accuracy from 2-point range is sixth-best in the country.
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After head coach Dawn Staley challenged her team in the preseason to match their offensive energy on the defensive end, South Carolina has opened the season ranked 17th in the nation in field goal percentage defense, allowing opponents to shoot just 25.7 percent. The Gamecocks’ +53.5 scoring margin is 18th in the country.
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South Carolina’s quick-strike offense is fourth in the country with 34.5 fast break points per game, which accounts for 33.2 percent of the Gamecocks’ total scoring.
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The Gamecocks’ 53.0 points in the paint per game account for 51.0 percent of their offense and rank 12th in the nation. They are shooting 72.6 percent in the paint while allowing opponents to hit just 31.0 percent in that space.
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All 10 Gamecocks on the active roster are shooting at least 50.0 percent from the field this season, including five hitting at least 60.0 percent. Three Gamecocks are among the SEC’s top 20 in shooting percentage – Madina Okot (5th. 714), Joyce Edwards (8th, .696) and Ta’Niya Latson (17th, .517).
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South Carolina’s trio of starting guards have been masterful in all facets of the game early to start the season, combining to average 46.0 points on 61.8 percent (34-of-58) shooting, 15.0 rebounds and 16.0 assists.
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Sophomore forward Joyce Edwards has picked up right where she left off last season, which ended in NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team honors. She is tied with Latson as the Gamecocks’ top scorer at 18.5 points per game to rank sixth in the SEC, and her .696 field goal percentage is eighth-best in the league. Her 11-of-12 outing against Bowling Green (Nov. 7) was the fourth-best single-game field goal percentage in program history and the best since Aliyah Boston’s perfect 13-of-13 game in November 2021.
By the Numbers
8 – Eight Gamecocks have played more than 15.0 minutes per game this season.
11 – Raven Johnson’s 11 assists against Bowling Green are the most by an SEC player this season.
300 – A win Tuesday night would be the Gamecocks’ 300th in Colonial Life Arena, which opened Nov. 22, 2002, with a win over the Tigers.
The Clemson Series
This in-state rivalry dates back to the Gamecocks’ first official season of intercollegiate women’s sports – 1975-76.
South Carolina’s current 14-game win streak finally put the Gamecocks on top in the series 36-33. In the Dawn Staley era (beginning in 2008-09), South Carolina is 14-2.
In last season’s 77-45 victory in Clemson (Nov. 20), the Gamecocks shook off an early Clemson lead to dominate the second quarter for a 29-17 halftime advantage. The Gamecocks went on to shoot 57.6 percent in the second half en route to the commanding victory. South Carolina native Joyce Edwards posted eight points and six rebounds, including five offensive, in her rivalry debut.
Balancing Act
South Carolina’s active roster may only be 10 players, but the talent runs deep. Six Gamecocks average double-figure points this season with a seventh just behind at 8.5 points per game.
All 10 Gamecocks are shooting at least 50.0 percent from the field, including four who rank among the SEC’s top 20 in field goal percentage led by Madina Okot’s 71.4 percent and Joyce Edwards’ 69.6 percent.
Four Gamecocks average at least 5.0 rebounds per game, including starting guards Raven Johnson (6.5 rpg) and Tessa Johnson (6.0 rpg).
