

Between the third and fourth quarters of the national championship game, South Carolina coach Dawn Staley was asked on the broadcast, “Who else can score for you right now? Where do those points come from?”
Staley responded, “I don’t know,” as her team struggled to find offense in a 23-point defeat. Now, the Gamecocks are adding the nation’s leading scorer, as Ta’Niya Latson announced Tuesday on Instagram that she will transfer to South Carolina for her final college season.
Latson scored 25.2 points per game as a junior at Florida State, leading the Seminoles to their first NCAA Tournament win since 2019. Over her three seasons in Tallahassee, she averaged 22.5 points and 3.9 assists in 30.2 minutes per game. Latson was eligible to declare for the 2025 WNBA Draft but chose to enter the transfer portal, ultimately landing with the Gamecocks. She will presumably step into the starting shooting guard role vacated by fifth-year senior Te-Hina Paopao.
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In theory, Latson is the high-volume scorer South Carolina needs. However, there will be an adjustment period on a team that historically prioritizes its depth. Latson had the highest usage rate in the ACC the last three years, and the highest usage rate nationally in 2025, ending 38.2 percent of Florida State’s possessions while she was on the floor. Only MiLaysia Fulwiley had a usage percentage over 30 for the Gamecocks last season, and she averaged less than 20 minutes per game.
The backcourt remains crowded for South Carolina, which is returning three rotation guards in Raven Johnson, Fulwiley and Tessa Johnson, plus rising sophomore Maddy McDaniel. Latson could have sought out a different team with a larger role, but she has already done that.
After collecting a bevy of individual accolades at Florida State — second-team All-America in 2025, national freshman of the year in 2023 and three all-ACC selections — Latson can now chase team success with the Gamecocks. She will reunite with her high school teammate Raven Johnson, who also chose to opt out of this year’s draft in favor of one last collegiate season, after the duo combined for three state titles at Westlake High School in Atlanta.
Always got my twin back!!! @NiyaLatson #REUNITED pic.twitter.com/RVznF6muw8
— R A V E N (@HollywoodRaven) April 8, 2025
Following the loss to UConn, Staley said, “I’m as excited for what our team will look like next year. I am because I do think they’ll be talented enough to get here, especially with getting in the transfer portal and getting some experienced pieces that can help with this young group.”
She immediately delivered on that process by landing a senior guard who complements what the Gamecocks had been missing.
(Photo: Ezra Shaw / Getty Images)
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