March 19, 2026, 5:03 a.m. ET
- Joyce Edwards is leading the No. 1 seeded South Carolina Gamecocks into her second NCAA Tournament.
- Edwards has stepped into a larger role this season following the departure of one forward and an injury to another.
- The sophomore forward is averaging 19.6 points per game and scored her 1,000th career point this season.
- Coach Dawn Staley noted that Edwards looks more seasoned and understands her power on the court.
COLUMBIA — Bree Hall got just one season with Joyce Edwards but it was enough to know that the 6-foot-3 forward would greatly benefit South Carolina women’s basketball in the future.
After UConn’s dominant 82-59 national championship win over South Carolina last April, Hall, then a senior, was asked what she learned about Edwards, who had just finished her first Women’s NCAA Tournament as a freshman.
«She’s an incredible player,» Hall said. «She’s going to come back for more, it’s not over for her at all.»
Now nearing 12 months later, Edwards is leading the No. 1 seeded Gamecocks (31-3) heading into her second NCAA Tournament.
The sophomore leads South Carolina with 19.6 points per game heading into the first round on March 21 (1 p.m. ET, ABC), against the winner of either Samford or Southern, both No. 16 seeds.
Joyce Edwards struggled in 2025 March Madness
South Carolina coach Dawn Staley has seen Edwards lead the team in scoring since her arrival on campus, breaking out as a freshman with an average of 12.7 points per game.
But then in the second round of last year’s tournament, Edwards’ offensive dominance took a harsh pause.
She went from 22 points in the opening round vs. Tennessee Tech to a season-low five against Indiana in the second round, finishing 2-of-8 from the field with five turnovers.
South Carolina’s upperclassmen carried the Gamecocks through Edwards’ shooting struggles. She scored six points in the Sweet 16 against Maryland and a career-low four in the Elite Eight win over Duke.
Then, with help from going 5-of-6 from the free throw line, Edwards had 13 points and 11 rebounds in the Final Four victory over Texas.
She capped off her freshman year with 10 points and five rebounds in the title game loss to UConn.
And a lot has changed since she left that court in Tampa, Florida.
Joyce Edwards sophomore season with South Carolina
When Ashlyn Watkins announced she wasn’t playing this season, Edwards’ role immediately shifted, increasing her likelihood at starting with one forward officially out. Then Chloe Kitts tore her ACL in October, giving Edwards an even bigger role.
Down two veteran forwards, Edwards stood beside the only returning starter in point guard Raven Johnson, and joining Tessa Johnson and transfers Ta’Niya Latson and Madina Okot.
By her first 20-point performance, which came in the second game of the season against Bowling Green, there was something different about the sophomore version of Edwards.
Her post moves were multi-dimensional, giving her offensive more creativity and her teammates more options knowing she had a greater trust in what she could do inside the paint.
She’s since had 19 games scoring over 20 points, highlighted by the career-high 34 points against USF on Dec. 18. She scored her 1,000th career point on Feb. 5, reaching the milestone in 64 games, five fewer than Gamecocks legend A’ja Wilson.
Edwards sits at 11th among scorers in this year’s NCAA Tournament bracket. In the SEC, she’s fourth overall in points per game and second in field goal percentage at 58.7%.
«Joyce is just different, she looks more seasoned,» Staley said. «She looks more like she understands what’s happening. I think she really understands her power on both sides of the basketball. When you’ve been there before, you really have a good understanding of what you can do and where you’ve had success.»
Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at LKesin@usatodayco.com. Follow her on X@Lulukesin and Bluesky@bylulukesin.bsky.social
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