‘Nothing new’: Reunited teammates Johnson and Latson send USC WBB to Elite Eight
Ta’Niya Latson and Raven Johnson have a history of leading teams to victory.
The two overlapped for three years at Westlake High School in Atlanta. In that time, Johnson and Latson led their school to an 82-2 record, three-straight state titles and a GEICO national title.
After high school, the two separated for a few years, Latson went to Florida State and Johnson opted for South Carolina, but reunited this season to end their college careers together with the Gamecocks.
And the wins have kept on coming.
No. 1 seed South Carolina (34-3) beat No. 4 seed Oklahoma 94-68 in the Sweet 16 in Sacramento on Saturday. The dynamic duo of Latson and Johnson led the way, combining for 46 points in the win. South Carolina will play in the Elite Eight on Monday as a result.
“It’s such a surreal moment,” Latson said. “We kept in touch while I was at Florida State. So being on the sideline, being next to her even in practice it’s just, like, dang, I’m playing with my best friend from high school. We cherish the moments that we have on the floor and we hope to win a championship together. It’s just a blessing to be together in our last year together.”
The 46 points Latson and Johnson totaled on Saturday is the most the duo have combined for in a game this season. The previous high came when the two scored 41 points against LSU in the SEC Tournament semifinals earlier this month.
While their combined production in the Sweet 16 may have been a collegiate best for the Latson and Johnson, it still isn’t the best of their overall basketball careers, Latson said.
“No, not the best. I think it was GEICO Nationals,” Latson said. “She had like 25, I had like 26. It was like a monster game for both of us.”
Latson led all scorers with 28 points in the game on Saturday. She shot a pristine 7 for 11 from the field, 10 for 10 from the free-throw line and all four of her 3-point attempts.
“I was feeling really good tonight,” Latson said. “I woke up on the right side of the bed. My teammates and my coaches, they believed in me. I just had to go out there with confidence. That was the game plan.”
The 28 points Latson scored was the second-most she’s ever scored in a Gamecock jersey. It’s also two points shy of her NCAA Tournament career-high (30 points). Johnson didn’t have enough positive things to say about her teammate and best friend after the game.
“I was just telling her how proud I am of what she did today,” Johnson said. “And I was, like, I feel like I did that. I’m so happy. When I see the ball go in for her, I’m like, yes, like my eyes get big.”
Latson, who led the nation in scoring at FSU last season, has dealt with non-stop criticism on social media from fans and talking heads alike about transferring to South Carolina. Her performance against Oklahoma in the Sweet 16 is proof things worked out just right, South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley said.
“She knows her work, she knows what she wanted from her experience here at South Carolina, she made a commitment to it,” Staley said. “I hope we’re in return. She understands that we only want the best for her. We want her to experience incredible things, including the Final Four, including getting drafted in the WNBA.”
Johnson scored 18 points in her own right. She was 8 for 11 from the field which included a 2-for-3 mark from 3-point range. Johnson’s 18 points is a new career-high for an NCAA Tournament game.
“Raven’s been through a lot,” Staley said. “She’s standing strong today, and she’s performing at a high level, which we all know she was capable of playing at this level. But she sacrificed a lot of her beginnings and actually some of her end of her South Carolina career by just being a giver, by just being a winner and making winning plays. … I think the game has slowed down for her enough to where she knows where she needs to implant herself in scoring the basketball for us.”
Johnson and Latson’s combined production came at the perfect time for South Carolina on Saturday. Oklahoma focused on keeping the Gamecocks’ post players out of rhythm and as a result the first half production from the paint was limited for USC. That allowed Latson and Johnson to go to work.
“It’s nothing new,” USC forward Joyce Edwards said of Latson and Johnson. “They’re great. I feel like Oklahoma was focusing in on the paint a lot. When you focus on the paint, outside shots are open. And Ta’Niya and Raven took advantage of it.”
This story was originally published March 28, 2026 at 9:48 PM.
