Latest news with #Latson
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
South Carolina lands Ta'Niya Latson, nation's leading scorer, after title game loss
South Carolina lands Ta'Niya Latson, nation's leading scorer, after title game loss 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?' Advertisement 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. 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. Advertisement 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. 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.' Advertisement She immediately delivered on that process by landing a senior guard who complements what the Gamecocks had been missing. This article originally appeared in The Athletic. Florida State Seminoles, South Carolina Gamecocks, Women's College Basketball 2025 The Athletic Media Company
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
DI leading scorer Ta'Niya Latson commits to South Carolina
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Ta'Niya Latson, the leading scorer in Division I, has decided to transfer to South Carolina, where she will join a high school teammate and try to help the Gamecocks win another national championship. The Florida State guard already had announced her intention to transfer for her final college season after scoring 25.2 points a game this season. Latson announced her destination Tuesday with a social media post showing her in a South Carolina jersey with the words 'COMMITTED' and her name along with an interstate sign for Columbia and the school logo. 'Feelin' cocky!' Latson wrote with a heart emoji. In another social media post, Latson called her three years at Florida State some of the most memorable of her life. She thanked Florida State fans, her teammates, and Brooke Wyckoff and the rest of the coaching staff for believing in her and pushing her to become the best version of herself. 'It gave me a platform to make a name for myself, and for that Florida State will always be a place I call home,' Latson wrote. Gamecocks Guard Raven Johnson celebrated the pending reunion with her high school teammate on social media with several posts making clear she's returning to South Carolina, which won national titles in 2017, 2022 and 2024, and not entering the upcoming WNBA draft. Johnson included photos of her with Latson in high school. 'LET'S RUN IT BACK TWIN!!!!' Johnson wrote before saying in another post, "Now, let me go get us a post player!!! Latson is a big addition for South Carolina coming off Sunday's loss in the national championship game. Coach Dawn Staley also has Joyce Edwards and MiLaysia Fulwiley returning. 'I'm excited for what our team will look like next year,' Staley said after the loss to UConn. '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.' ___ AP March Madness bracket: and coverage: Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here.
USA Today
08-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Ta'Niya Latson commits to Dawn Staley, South Carolina in transfer portal
Ta'Niya Latson commits to Dawn Staley, South Carolina in transfer portal Show Caption Hide Caption South Carolina Dawn Staley signs baby before cutting Elite Eight nets down After an Elite Eight win over Duke, South Carolina coach Dawn Staley signed a baby, basketball and shirts for fans before cutting down the nets in Birmingham Dawn Staley hasn't wasted any time in retooling her roster. South Carolina women's basketball on Tuesday landed a commitment from former Florida State guard Ta'Niya Latson, by way of the NCAA transfer portal. Latson is coming off a big junior season with the Seminoles, finishing as the nation's leading scorer at 25.2 points per game while averaging 4.6 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game. She also shot 45.1% from the field this past season, just 0.4% off her career-high of 45.5% from the field that she set in her freshman season. REQUIRED READING: Women's March Madness winners, losers: UConn, Paige Bueckers earn storybook ending "Feelin' cocky!" Latson wrote on a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday. Latson entered the transfer portal on March 27 after Florida State lost to LSU in the second round in the women's NCAA Tournament. Landing Latson is a big one for South Carolina, as it gives Staley and her staff a new go-to scorer to pair with Raven Johnson, Joyce Edwards and MiLaysia Fulwiley. The Gamecocks are set to lose Te-Hina Paopao, Bree Hall and Sania Feagin, with all three players being out of eligibility. Shortly after Latson announced her decision to transfer to South Carolina, who has made five consecutive Final Four appearances, her new coach took to social media to break her silence and welcome her newest player to Columbia, South Carolina. "A birdie just flew in nest!!" Staley wrote on X. As noted by The Greenville News' Lulu Kesin, it is also a reunion for Latson with Johnson, Fulwiley and Edwards, as Latson played high school basketball in Florida with Johnson and played AAU basketball with both Fulwiley and Edwards. In three seasons at Florida State, Latson averaged 25.2 points per game while shooting 44.8% from the field. The Miami native on Feb. 27 became the third player in ACC history to score 2,000 career points in her first three seasons during Florida State's win over then-No. 3 Notre Dame. Latson was the No. 1-ranked player in the transfer portal on ESPN per Charlie Creme, ranking one spot higher than former Notre Dame guard Olivia Miles, who reportedly committed to TCU on Tuesday. South Carolina finished 34-4 overall on the season while finishing as the national runner-up in the women's NCAA Tournament after falling 82-59 to UConn in the national championship game on April 6.
New York Times
08-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
South Carolina lands Ta'Niya Latson, nation's leading scorer, after title game loss
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. A post shared by ta'niya latson (@cbgtaniya) 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. Advertisement 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 — 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.
USA Today
02-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Could LSU women's basketball land the nation's leading scorer in transfer portal?
Could LSU women's basketball land the nation's leading scorer in transfer portal? LSU women's basketball is in the mix for one of the top ranked players in the transfer portal. Ta'Niya Latson entered the transfer portal after leading the nation in scoring at Florida State. According to a report from On3, LSU is showing interest in the guard. In her junior season at Florida State, Latson averaged 25.2 points, 4.6 assists, and 4.6 rebounds per game while shooting 45% from the field. In her final game of the season, which was against LSU in the NCAA Tournament's second round, Latson dropped 30 points. Could she have played on the court of her future team? Depending on roster movement for the Tigers with the portal open and the WNBA Draft looming, Latson may be a fit for head coach Kim Mulkey's system. Flau'Jae Johnson's future is unclear as she could return to Baton Rouge for a fifth year or turn professional. That would put LSU down its two leading scorers with Aneesah Morrow projected to be a first-round pick. Adding Latson would begin to address the gap on both ends of the floor. The Tigers would get an experienced ball handler who could score in multiple ways with Latson. She gets the ball into the paint and can distribute to scorers around her while also creating havoc on the defensive end. LSU would immediately be a contender once again for next season
