Dawn Staley and South Carolina are now a whisker away from winning the most difficult conference in women’s college basketball. The SEC leaders brushed aside Ole Miss 85-48 to improve to 27-2. They were led by another 20-plus point performance from sophomore forward Joyce Edwards, who finished with 21 points, 6 rebounds, and an assist. It is her 6th 20+ point performance in the last 7 games. Being the central part of another possible deep run in March and the SEC title, some A’ja Wilson comparisons came up after the game.

Both names coming up in the same conversation is nothing new. Actually, Wilson played a pivotal role for Dawn Staley in bringing Edwards to the program.  “I had a conversation with A’ja specifically, because we play the most similarly. She gave me a lot of good advice,” Edwards said after her commitment. Wilson agreed. “I do see a little bit of myself in Joyce, and that’s,” Wilson said. “That’s pretty good.” According to Staley, despite the similarities in their game, there are some key differences as well.

“They both have a knack for scoring the basketball, and they may look at it a little bit differently,” Dawn Staley told the media. “They may play a little bit differently, but the results are very similar.”

Wilson played at South Carolina for four seasons, winning a championship along the way. She averaged 17.3 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 2.6 blocks, and 1.0 steals per game during her time, winning a plethora of awards. Joyce Edwards, on the other hand, has taken that sophomore jump. After averaging 12.7 points, 5 rebounds, and 1.2 assists while coming off the bench, she is now averaging 20.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.5 assists. On the court, the difference lies in two things for Dawn Staley: ball handling and the ability to take contact. 

“I think Joyce probably can handle the ball a little bit better than A’ja when A’ja was her age,” Staley said. “Joyce probably gets a lot of harder scores than A’ja just by mere height. A’ja’s got a little bit more height on her.”

The height is the crux of the difference. A’ja was 6’5 in college, while Joyce is 6’3, which means it’s more difficult for Wilson to dribble than it is for Joyce.  “A’ja probably didn’t take as much contact as Joyce takes. Joyce welcomes the contact,” Staley said. “A’ja really didn’t welcome the contact because she had a little short like a mid-range game that took easier shots. Joyce is looking to hit you. She’s looking for impact, but they both are equally effective.”

As we know, A’ja Wilson is impeccable from midrange. It’s her bread and butter. As a rookie in the WNBA, Wilson shot 45% from midrange at a very high volume. On the other hand, Joyce Edwards relies more on her paint scoring. In the 2025-26 season, Edwards has attempted 54% of her shots around the rim and is shooting 75.4%. 

From the midrange, she is shooting 30.5%, miserly by comparison. Naturally, Edwards has evolved in a way that allows her to soldier through contact. That in turn has affected South Carolina’s brand of basketball. The team as a whole shoots 39.2% of its shots from around the rim. That was a lot more scattered in A’ja Wilson’s era. While Wilson did not need that skillset in college, she has developed it in the WNBA.  

Even with their similarities, these subtle differences give defenders completely different challenges. Legacy-wise, Wilson won the national championship as a junior, and Joyce Edwards has a chance to one-up the legend by winning it as a sophomore. But South Carolina’s night wasn’t just about rising stars and bold comparisons; it also delivered a glimpse into the playful chemistry that fuels their run.

News served to you like never before!

Prefer us on Google, To get latest news on feed

Prefer Us on Google

Dawn Staley Jokes Around With Raven Johnson After Gamecocks Star Hijacks Presser

Raven Johnson has been the team’s orchestrator all season long. She is averaging 9.2 points,5.4 assists, and 4.2 rebounds per game, including her 6-point, 7-assist performance against Ole Miss, which had 3 rebounds and 3 steals as well. After the game, however, Johnson decided to hijack Dawn Staley’s press conference.

Posing as a reporter in the crowd, Johnson started, “Hi, coach.” And immediately, the look on Staley’s face changed. “Oh my God. Please, please, please, who gave her the mic? Y’all don’t know?” Johnson continued, “Coach, tell me how you approach games, and you know, you look good while doing it, like you’re on the sidelines with your fits on. Just tell me what your mindset is going into the game.” 

Staley’s fits have been a polarising point in the fan base. Some love it, some don’t. When she wore that oversized hat, even A’ja Wilson got in on the fun, reposting it with crying emojis while writing, “I can’t”. So Staley continued the joke after Johnson’s question, saying, “Alright, my mindset going into the game is, ‘What would Raven think? What would Raven think?’ And if there aren’t any complaints from Raven, I think I’ve passed the test. Whoever gave her that question, thank you, ’cause the one she probably wanted to ask would have been censored.”

It seems Johnson is not only the orchestrator of the team but also of Dawn Staley. This further shows the kind of locker room atmosphere Staley has. Strict but also fun. And it has reflected in their basketball. Staley and Co. will look to win the SEC title with a win against Missouri and continue their form into March.