South Carolina’s Raven Johnson has ‘storybook ending’ in final home game
Last season, a sold-out crowd in Colonial Life Arena showered Raven Johnson with chants for one more year.
At the time Johnson played coy. “We’ll have to wait and see,” she said after beating Kentucky on March 2.
Johnson made fans wait a month before announcing she would indeed be returning for her extra year of eligibility (earned by an ACL injury her freshman year). Not only that, but she’d be bringing along her former high school teammate and best friend Ta’Niya Latson for her last ride.
Nearly a year later one of the final checkpoints in Johnson’s career at South Carolina passed on Monday night: her last game at Colonial Life Arena.
Johnson went out in familiar fashion — with a dominant win — as No. 1 seed South Carolina shellacked No. 9 seed Southern California 101-61 to punch its ticket to a 12th straight Sweet 16.
The Gamecocks, coaches and players alike, took a final lap around the court after the win and waved to fans before they entered the locker room. Shortly after, Johnson came back out by herself for one final curtain call in CLA.
“RAVEN! RAVEN! RAVEN!” the crowd chanted this time around.
So what was the veteran feeling during that last walk?
“You want the truth?” Johnson said. “ It hasn’t hit me yet because we’re not done yet.”
South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley gave Johnson, the final member of the winningest class in program history, a big hug when she checked out for a final time at home with just over seven minutes left in the game.
“I really cannot be serious with Raven,” Staley said of her feelings at that moment. “I just checked her temperature. She looked alright. Her eyes were big and that means she’s locked in. Raven just wants to win another national championship, and I hope she gets that, because I do think she deserves it.”
The highlight of Johnson’s came in the second quarter, when she scored the 1,000th point of her career in her final game at home. In true Raven-Johnson fashion, the milestone came after the SEC Defensive Player of the Year got a steal, started a fast break and scored a layup on the other end.
“It’s pretty cool for Raven,” Staley said. “I think it’s a storybook ending, I hope it continues throughout this tournament. I’m happy Raven is getting her flowers, finally, at the end of her career. Something that we’ve given her, but I think the rest of the country is finally seeing what she means to our program, what she’s meant to our program, and what her legacy she leaves here.”
Johnson is now the 41st player in program history to cross the 1,000 career point mark and the second Gamecock to do so this year (Joyce Edwards did so in February).
The veteran point guard will go down as one of the winningest players in program history when it’s all said and done.
On Monday, Johnson tied LeLe Grissett (2017-2022) for second in South Carolina’s program history with 150 games played.
South Carolina’s record in the five years Johnson has been with the program? A whopping 176-10.
While 1,000 points and stacking home wins are fun, Johnson is more focused on winning another national title. A championship this year would make Johnson a three-time national champion and that’s all she cares about as the Gamecocks continue on through March Madness.
“Everybody keeps saying a thousand this, that, and a third,” Johnson said. “I’m not really thinking of that. I’m just thinking about dancing to the nets tomorrow. I’m worried about winning a National Championship. That’s the main goal, so, yeah, whatever comes with it, comes with it.”
