A franchise player who quietly managed South Carolina’s backcourt for five years is approaching the conclusion of her fairytale chapter. She might not be as formidable as top WNBA prospects from the program like A’ja Wilson and Aliyah Boston, but Raven Johnson is a cornerstone who always carried that maroon and white jersey with pride. A teaser of Johnson’s farewell will be on display during the senior night on Thursday, prompting head coach Dawn Staley to share her emotions for South Carolina’s No. 25.

Speaking at the pre-game press conference ahead of the Missouri game and the senior night, the Gamecocks’ head coach pinpointed the qualities that make Johnson such a trustworthy and special player for the program, explaining how this farewell will eventually turn out for her.

“Raven is the most loyal, like she’s super loyal,” Staley said. “She doesn’t have a mean spirit in her body. She’s funny. She’s consistent, like I like Raven, who she is every day of the week. And she doesn’t come in any different than who she is. So, I like that about her, I like that consistency about her, especially when it’s your point guard, they have a way of leading the charge. She’s done that for the past five years, and I know  I just really like enjoy being around her.”

“She’s really just a good person, and she’s going to leave a big void on the court and off the court. So, I mean, it’s probably losing the last member of the core group of the historical classes that we’ve had,” Staley added.

Staley’s assessment fits perfectly when Johnson’s five-year stint is taken into consideration. For the senior Gamecocks guard, the game was never about numbers. It was about leading her teammates with the perfect attitude and contributing in any way possible. If you look at her Gamecocks stats, you won’t see scoring averages of 15+ as she averages just 6.5 for the Gamecocks, but when you dig deeper, you’ll find how good she has been as a second fiddle or a playmaker to the primary scorers.

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However, this season, several opposing team head coaches, including Kim Mulkey and Yolett McPhee-McCuin, have brought Johnson’s factor into the limelight. “I think their Raven Johnson does not get the credit that she should,” the Ole Miss head coach said following her team’s blowout defeat to South Carolina. “I think she is the best point guard in the country. And she makes them go, and sometimes you don’t see it in the scorebook, but what she does you can’t teach.”

All in all, the South Carolina Gamecocks will celebrate four players on senior night: Raven Johnson, Madina Okot, Ta’niya Latson, and Maryam Dauda. Senior Chloe Kitts, who is the only senior player besides Johnson to be part of the National Championships-winning roster in the 2023-24 season, won’t be present at the event. Kitts plans to return next year after missing out on the majority of the season.

However, for now, Johnson still has a lot to offer to Dawn Staley’s team before she transitions to her next career endeavor. They have a couple of important conference tournaments to win before they divert their attention to March Madness.

Dawn Staley and Raven Johnson Are in Line to Win the SEC Regular Conference Title

As Dawn Staley and Raven Johnson take the court against Missouri on February 26, they will have a single goal in their psyche: Win the SEC regular title outright. They already clinched a share of the title following last week’s game against Ole Miss. But for a team that has won this title in each of the previous four years, a shared title doesn’t justify their prowess.

Thus, the stage is set, as the schedule allows the Gamecocks to celebrate with their fans at Colonial Life Arena after winning the regular-season title. Considering the season South Carolina has had so far, they are, quite naturally, going in as the frontrunners with a 99% chance of clinching the game. Moreover, from Staley’s pre-game press conference, it’s pretty clear that her team isn’t aiming for anything less than a W.

“I think our fans, the people that support us, have really high expectations, like no matter who’s suiting up for us or not suiting up for us, Staley said. “I think their expectation for us is to win and really to win outright. They like winning, but I’m sure they don’t like sharing. I’m sure they just have pride in that.”

The unranked Missouri Tigers are no match for Johnson and co. on paper. The Tigers have suffered blowout defeats in each of their last four games. It’s a perfect summary of the season they have had. Thereby, it will be a great opportunity for seniors like Johnson to make their senior night special on Thursday, clinch the SEC regular-season title, and secure a convincing win against a struggling Missouri team.

The game is set to tip off at 8 p.m. ET, and the live feed will be on the SEC Network. What are your thoughts on this game? Do let us know in the comments.