South Carolina’s Bree Hall drops 2-word reaction to hype teammate Joyce Edwards for SEC honor
South Carolina forward Joyce Edwards was named the SEC Freshman of the Week on Tuesday, and senior guard Bree Hall showed her support. The Gamecocks shared the news on their Instagram account, and Hall posted it to her story and wrote:
"Go Joycieeee ❤️."
Joyce Edwards is enjoying her best freshman season, averaging 12.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.2 assists. She shoots 56.6 from the floor but has yet to make a shot from the 3-point range. She attempted just once in November against Coppin State and didn't make it.
South Carolina is defending its 2024 national championship win, and Edwards is turning out to be a key piece. After her career-high 21-point performance on Thursday against Alabama, Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley praised the forward.
"Joyce is special," Staley said. "She works really hard at it. She doesn’t take plays off. She might not be ready for some plays — they got her in the fourth quarter. But she’s a relentless worker. She’s a tireless worker. She wants to be great at everything that she does.
"To see her play as consistently and efficiently over the past couple of games, it’s saying that she’s found her footing. I think she understands what we lost and what she needs to do to help close that gap."
Dawn Staley shares her thoughts on Joyce Edwards' work ethic
With the loss of Kamilla Cardoso to the WNBA, Joyce Edwards came into South Carolina with expectations to fill the center's big shoes. Cardoso played a crucial role in the Gamecocks' two championship runs and was their biggest asset around the glass.
With the pressure, Edwards has been putting the work in. But according to Dawn Staley, she seems to be doing it a bit too much.
"She works out before practice. She works out after practice, and I know she’s in there with her dad in between," Staley said. "That’s just who she is. I want her to not be in the gym so much, but that’s her makeup.
"You have to take care of your body because the pace that she works out and practices, it’s hard during the season. It’s really hard. I don’t think she really knows what a college season feels like."
Staley added that she has had a conversation with Edwards about pacing herself as the season is only halfway through, and she has a tough postseason stretch in March.