Former Florida State standout Ta’Niya Latson will lace up for South Carolina in Friday’s NCAA Women’s Basketball Final Four, bringing a high-scoring pedigree to Dawn Staley’s top-seeded Gamecocks as they meet undefeated UConn in Phoenix.
Latson, who transferred to Columbia after a celebrated three-year run at Florida State, has started every game this season for South Carolina and is the team’s second-leading scorer. She is averaging 14.4 points in 28.2 minutes per game for the year and has produced 15 points per game during the NCAA Tournament. Her postseason output has been uneven but impactful — a 28-point outing against USC contrasted with a two-point performance in the Elite Eight win over TCU — as the Gamecocks have relied on balanced scoring and one of the nation’s stingiest defenses, holding opponents to 53.7 points per game.
At FSU, Latson established herself as one of the most prolific scorers in program history. A highly regarded recruit from American Heritage (Plantation), she finished her Seminole career with 2,037 points — third among ACC players to reach 2,000 career points and second all-time at Florida State — and set the single-season scoring mark. Her resume includes All-ACC and All-American honors, a 40-point game against Virginia Tech on Jan. 2, 2025, and a rare triple-double against Gonzaga on Dec. 2, 2025 during the Paradise Jam Championship. She also led the nation in scoring at 25.2 points per game before entering the transfer portal and was a semifinalist and finalist for several major national awards.
Latson’s presence gives South Carolina another offensive option as the team seeks its third national title under Staley. The Final Four matchup against UConn pits Latson and the Gamecocks against a Huskies squad led by Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong; both teams are vying for a spot in the national championship game. The semifinal tips off at 7 p.m. ET Friday at the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix and will be televised on ESPN.
Beyond the immediate stakes, Latson’s performance on the Final Four stage will have major implications for her professional prospects. She is expected to enter the 2026 WNBA Draft and is widely projected as a lottery pick, with many mock drafts listing her among the top 10 selections. If she is drafted, she would follow former Seminole Makayla Timpson, who was selected in the second round by the Indiana Fever last year.
As Latson takes the court in different colors but similar spotlight, South Carolina’s blend of defensive strength and her scoring upside will be central to the Gamecocks’ title hopes. Friday’s semifinal will be one of the clearest measures yet of how Latson’s game translates on the biggest stage and under the pressure of March’s final weekend.