Raven Johnson equates Joyce Edwards' struggles to A'ja Wilson, Aliyah Boston and Kamilla Cardoso
Raven Johnson and Joyce Edwards are going to the national championship game after the South Carolina Gamecocks defeated the Texas Longhorns 74-57 in their Final Four showdown at Amalie Arena on Friday night. Johnson talked about her freshman teammate in an interview with WACH Fox after the game.
Edwards stepped up for the Gamecocks in the Final Four after struggling in her recent outings. She failed to score in double figures in South Carolina's last three NCAA Tournament games, averaging just 5.0 points during that period. Johnson said Edwards had a tough time dealing with her offensive woes and that they reminded her many big names went through the same experience.
"Joyce is so hard on herself," Johnson said. "I’m glad this happened to her as a freshman. We always tell her great players go through it. A'ja Wilson went through it, Kamilla Cardoso went through it, Aliyah Boston went through it."
"She’s so hard on herself. She’ll always say, ‘I’m just not this good of a player.’ We always try to be on her ear. I think Joyce should get away from it. Not eat, live and breathe basketball all the time. Try to get away from it a little bit and come back to it."
Joyce Edwards delivered when South Carolina needed her the most, scoring 13 points in the win over Texas. She shot 4-of-11 from the floor and 5-of-6 from the charity stripe. She also led the team in rebounding with 11 boards to record her fourth double-double of the season.
Raven Johnson also contributed in the win against the Longhorns, recording two points, six rebounds, three assists, two blocks and one steal in 27 minutes of action.
Te-Hina Paopao and Bree Hall provide offensive help to Joyce Edwards in Final Four win over Texas
Apart from Joyce Edwards, two other players scored in double figures for the South Carolina Gamecocks, who advanced to the national championship game for the fourth time in program history.
Te-Hina Paopao led the Gamecocks with 14 points on 5-for-6 shooting. She was lights out from the 3-point area, going 3-of-4 from beyond the arc. She also had three rebounds, two steals and one assist.
Bree Hall added 11 points for the Gamecocks, who extended their winning streak in the NCAA Tournament to 11 games. She shot 5-for-8 from the floor, including 1-for-2 from the 3-point area.