How South Carolina’s local stars shined in the Women’s March Madness opener

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The crowd roared with jeers as Tennessee Tech’s band screamed “Terrible!” into the air Friday, but South Carolina’s MiLaysia Fulwiley swiftly quieted the hecklers with a smooth 3-pointer off a sharp pass from teammate Joyce Edwards. This came just after No. 1 seed South Carolina stormed to a 33-point lead in the first quarter of their dominant first-round victory over No. 16 Tennessee Tech in the 2025 Women’s NCAA Tournament.

Fulwiley and Edwards, the only two Gamecocks hailing from South Carolina, made sure to represent for their home-state fans in a big way.

Joyce Edwards, the freshman sensation, topped all scorers on Friday with an impressive 22 points, going 9-for-12 from the field. Fulwiley, the talented sophomore, contributed 15 points, five assists, four blocks, and three steals, although neither player started the game.

“We definitely have a connection,” Edwards shared. “We’ve been playing together since high school, and even against each other. We know each other’s game, where we’ll be, and we’re always looking for each other.”

South Carolina’s bench played a crucial role in the win, setting an NCAA Tournament record—men’s and women’s—by scoring a total of 66 points.

“It’s always special when the top kids from South Carolina choose to stay home,” said Dawn Staley, the Gamecocks’ head coach. “They bring such a great following with them.”

Staley has gone on record saying that Edwards could be the best player in college basketball. After the game, Raven Johnson, a teammate, made a bold prediction: “She will be.”

Edwards’ father, Charlie Edwards, was on hand and couldn’t hide his pride: “She’s owning the stage. But if you know Joy, she’s always owned the stage.”

For Edwards’ family, Friday’s game felt like a home matchup, but with one major difference: they couldn’t share their usual post-game moments together. Typically, the family would gather afterward—either chatting in the car or grabbing a bite to eat.

“We always spend time together after the game,” said Rasheedah Edwards, Joyce’s mother. “She always has to leave with us, but now I don’t know how it’ll work with the (NCAA) Tournament.”