Why did Ta'Niya Latson transfer to South Carolina? To play in Final Four

PHOENIX — This is why Ta’Niya Latson transferred to South Carolina.

It’s not that things were bad for her at Florida State. She played at a solid ACC program that won at least 23 games and went to the NCAA Tournament in each of the three seasons she was there, and she had a teammate in Makayla Timpson that was selected in the 2025 WNBA Draft.

But Florida State’s ceiling was limited. The Seminoles never contended for an ACC title during Latson’s three seasons — despite her winning the Tamika Catchings National Freshman of the Year award in 2023 and leading the nation in scoring in 2025 — and never advanced to the second weekend of March Madness. Latson had the accolades, but not team success. She yearned to play on the sport’s biggest stages.

Latson came to South Carolina to play in the games like the one happening Friday, where she and the Gamecocks will take on UConn in the Final Four.

It’s the sixth consecutive national semifinal appearance for Dawn Staley’s Gamecocks, but the first and last opportunity that Latson will have to compete for a championship.

“I’m just blessed. This is something I came here for, to play in big games, big moments like this,” Latson said Thursday. “Obviously I'm a little starstruck, but I'm ready to go out there and compete. This is what I came here for. My mindset is already on playing on Friday.”

Latson has long been one of the most talented guards in the country. While starring for Brooke Wyckoff’s Seminoles, she was a three-time All-ACC selection and was an All-American as a junior while averaging 25.2 points per game.

She was undoubtedly a star, but often didn’t play in crucial games or in front of large crowds. Florida State ranked 14th in attendance during Latson’s junior season when she was leading the sport in scoring.

When Latson went into the transfer portal, she knew she wanted to play for one of the marquee programs in women’s college basketball. She found that at South Carolina, where she shares the backcourt of the three-time national champions with her high school teammate Raven Johnson.

Latson isn’t producing eye-popping scoring totals this season — averaging 14.4 points and 3.7 assists per game — but she’s part of something bigger and more successful. The Gamecocks won the SEC’s regular season title and Latson found out what it was like to cut down the nets for the first time when they defeated TCU in the Sacramento 4 regional final.

What Latson has become at South Carolina is more efficient. She’s shooting a career-high 49.6% from the floor and averaging a career-low 1.7 turnovers per game. By playing for Staley, and by having a host of other talented teammates she can lean on, Latson hasn’t had to shoulder all of the scoring load and has improved her draft stock.

“Just seeing the second line of defense, seeing the second and third option, not just seeing one option. I’ve probably been a little bit more patient on offense, seeing the whole floor,” Latson said when asked about how she’s gotten better at South Carolina. “That was something I really wanted to work on. Then, going into the (WNBA) next year, that's something I'm going to really need.”

Latson has still shown the ability to hunt her shot and score in bunches when South Carolina needs her too. She tallied 28 points and five assists in the Gamecocks’ Sweet 16 win over Oklahoma, scored 19 points against LSU in the SEC Tournament, and piled up 17 points, six assists, four steals and four rebounds in a first-round NCAA Tournament win over Southern.

Staley is confident that the moment won’t be too big for Latson on Friday.

“There will probably be some adrenaline flowing real high for Ta'Niya, some of the other players that haven't been in the situation,” Staley said. “But when the game settles down, that's when your habits will actually come to fruition.”