Freshman Joyce Edwards could be South Carolina's spark against UConn in championship

New York Times

05-04-2025

TAMPA, Fla. — With the clock winding down in the first quarter, South Carolina's Joyce Edwards had the ball on the perimeter and looked toward her coach, Dawn Staley.
She knew the play was 'five out,' and that with every player standing above the 3-point arc, she would have a driving lane.
The freshman didn't know when to go, though. As the clock reached 25 seconds left in the quarter, she glanced toward Staley. The Hall of Fame coach looked at Edwards and shrugged her shoulders. It was as if she were saying, 'Go, make a play.'
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Edwards, who averaged 12.7 points per game this season, listened. She took the ball in her right hand, drove hard at Texas forward Kyla Oldacre, leaving the 6-foot-6 player behind her, and made a nice finish at the basket with 10 seconds left in the quarter.
It was a smooth play, something not many 6-3 forwards can do while starting the play beyond the 3-point arc. But Edwards isn't most forwards; she was the No. 3 player in the 2024 class, according to ESPN, and has a skill set that sets her apart from her peers.
All of it was on full display Friday in South Carolina's 74-57 Final Four win over Texas. She finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds, tallying the fourth double-double of her young career. She also added six assists and one steal, leading South Carolina back to its third national championship game in four years. The Gamecocks will face UConn on Sunday for the title.
JOYCE EDWARDS IS HOOPIN' 😤#MarchMadness x #WFinalFour x @GamecockWBB pic.twitter.com/akRq3V57Nn
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) April 5, 2025
Edwards' impact is a game-changer for the Gamecocks, Staley said.
'I don't want to put that much pressure on her, but that's what she's been doing all season long,' Staley said. 'When she doesn't get her average, when she doesn't fly around out there, we feel it. We feel it.'
Edwards hasn't been in that form for much of the tournament, though. As opponents began scheming against her, she went into a slump. She scored five points in the second-round tournament win over Indiana, six points in the Sweet 16 against Maryland and four points against Duke in the Elite Eight.
It was the longest stretch she can remember without reaching double figures, but the Final Four was the perfect time to find her form again.
'It's comforting just knowing that I was going to bounce back. It wasn't if, it was when,' Edwards said. 'I'm happy it was today.'
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One of the things Staley likes so much about Edwards is her brain.
Edwards went to Camden High School, which is just over half an hour from South Carolina's campus. She left Camden with a 5.08 GPA and arrived at South Carolina as an environmental engineering major in the honors college. 'She's a very, high-intelligent individual,' Staley said. 'Not very many athletes are in the honors college.'
Her intelligence translates onto the court as well. Edwards sees things happening in slow motion, which is half the adjustment for freshmen adjusting to the college game. But she also puts the work into watching film to understand how teams will guard her.
Though that helps, it can also sometimes hurt her, Staley said. 'When our opponent isn't where she thinks they're supposed to be, it kind of throws her off a little bit, like, 'That's not what I studied,'' Staley said.
When the NCAA Tournament began, teams started to throw different looks at Edwards — a frustrating experience. She opened the tournament with a dominant 22-point performance against Tennessee Tech, but shot just 28 percent from the field in the next three games. Indiana double-teamed her in the second round, then Maryland and Duke followed suit, scheming against her more and more. 'I just kept thinking about it and carrying it to the next game,' Edwards said.
It had a massive impact on South Carolina's game as well. In those three games, South Carolina won by an average of 6.3 points, and its offense was a shell of the team that had averaged 79 points during the regular season.
It was obvious that the Gamecocks needed more from Edwards. Staley didn't want to pressure her freshman, but she knew the reality of the situation. 'If we're going to win a national championship, we need better production from Joyce,' Staley said after the Elite Eight.
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After constant conversations with her parents and South Carolina's coaching staff, Edwards came into the Final Four refreshed. 'I just liberated myself and took what the floor gave me,' Edwards said.
There was no secret formula for Edwards to get out of her slump, but it's something senior guard Te-Hina Paopao said will be good for Edwards going forward.
'You've got to go through that process to really look at yourself and see if you really want to play this game of basketball,' Paopao said.
Now, the goal is repeating that performance in the biggest game of the year. South Carolina will play UConn in the national championship game on Sunday, a rematch of the 29-point loss on Feb. 16. Edwards scored 17 points in that game. Though Paige Bueckers and Sarah Strong will be the most talented players on the floor in the title game, Edwards' versatility off the bench could be a spark for the Gamecocks.
Against Texas, though, as Staley looked at Edwards before her layup at the end of the first quarter, she knew Edwards just needed a sign. So she gave her one with her shoulder shrug and nod.
'She just needed the cue to take off,' Staley said. Edwards did just that on the tournament's biggest stage.
(Photo of Joyce Edwards: Carmen Mandato / Getty Images)