Raven Johnson’s offensive renaissance on display in Gamecocks’ win over LSU
Throughout Raven Johnson’s career she has shown up consistently in big moments for South Carolina basketball.
Saturday night was the latest example.
Johnson willed the Gamecocks to a seventh consecutive SEC Tournament championship-game appearance in an 83-77 win over LSU in the semifinals.
Johnson led South Carolina with 22 points and was only out-scored by one other player in the game — former-teammate-turned-LSU-star MiLaysia Fulwiley.
“It means a lot, honestly,” Johnson said of her performance. “I’m thinking about winning. Whatever it takes to win. If I got to defend, if I got to score, whatever it takes. If I’ve got to rebound, that’s what I’ll do. I’m just thinking about winning.”
Not only was Johnson’s performance her latest example of helping the Gamecocks on the big stage, it was the latest chapter in her storied success over LSU. Johnson has not lost to LSU in her time at South Carolina.
Johnson’s 22 points on Saturday set a new career-high mark. Her previous career-high of 19 points? That was set last month in a win over LSU in Baton Rouge.
“Honestly, LSU is a really good team,” Johnson said. “We knew we had to compete and bring our A-game. We had to play for 40 minutes. Every possession mattered. I think we had to lean on each other through the good and bad. I think we did a good job of that, executing the Xs and Os. Every time we go against LSU, we know it’s going to be a battle. We want to end out on top, and that’s what we did.”
Johnson also added eight assists and three rebounds to her stat line vs. LSU.
“She not only scored from the 3, she had eight assists to one turnover. She’s a Defensive Player of the Year in this league. That’s what you want,” LSU head coach Kim Mulkey said. “You want leaders like that, and she makes everybody else better. She doesn’t come down and jack up a shot. She will shoot it if left open. She’ll definitely shoot it if the shot clock is winding down. That’s what she did today. Nothing that surprises me.”
In South Carolina’s lone matchup with LSU last year, Johnson felt like her performance wasn’t enough. She had five points in the 66-56 win. With a year in hindsight, Johnson said she didn’t like how she approached that specific game and has changed her approach to basketball in general.
That performance a year ago was indicative of Johnson’s junior season at South Carolina. It was, offensively speaking, the worst of her career. She averaged a career-low 4.9 points per game and saw her field-goal percentage plummet to 35%. Those marks were down from 8.1 points per game and a 44.3% clip from the floor the year prior.
“Her percentages were pretty good, pretty solid. And then after that year, she got happy. She got happy. She didn’t put the work in,” South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley said. “She did not put the work in, and she knew it. I had to remind her during that year, you didn’t put the work in. You can’t get it back now so you just have to suffer through this year and figure out how we can continue to win and you continue to make plays when it’s there.”
Johnson hit the gym last summer and has seen a renaissance of sorts in her offensive game. The fifth-year senior is averaging career-highs in points (10.3 points per game) and field-goal percentage (50.6%).
Over the summer, Atlanta Dream head coach Karl Smesko made a visit to USC and gave Staley and her team some shooting tips, specifically with 3-pointers.
“I shared it with our team and really didn’t think Raven was listening,” Staley said Saturday.
“I was listening,” Johnson responded.
That much is evident. Johnson has added the 3-point shot back into her repertoire this season and has already hit career-high marks in total 3s attempted (86) and made (35). Johnson is also averaging a career-high 40.7% clip on 3-pointers.
Johnson tied her career-high with 4 3-pointers on 6 attempts in the game on Saturday.
“Raven blocked out the noise, put her head down, and went to work,” Staley said. “And now you’re seeing the results of her work. It’s that simple. It’s that simple. Put your head down and get to work. And then law of averages say you’re going to come out on top if you put the work in.
“... Three years ago, last year, she would have never shot six 3s. Ever. Even if she was open. Even if she felt good about it. But game winner. Game-winning plays.”
Johnson’s heroics on offense have put South Carolina in position to win its 10th SEC Tournament title on Sunday. The performances like the one she had Saturday have become commonplace for Johnson this season.
Just ask her former high school teammate and current Gamecock Ta’Niya Latson.
“That’s Raven Johnson,” Latson said. “It’s been a long time coming. She’s been doing what I’ve been knowing she can do. To see her flourish means a lot. I came here to win games, and Raven’s a winner. That’s just what she does. So I’m super proud of her, and I’m happy to see her flourish.”
This story was originally published March 7, 2026 at 8:38 PM.
