UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- Penn State women’s basketball is set for its first ranked matchup of the 2025-26 campaign against no. 3/3 South Carolina. The Lady Lions and the Gamecocks are set to faceoff on Sunday, Dec. 14 with national coverage on ESPN beginning at 3:30 p.m.
The Lady Lions look to bounce back from their recent loss to Arizona State on Tuesday night while the Gamecocks are in search of their 10th win of the season.
GAME INFORMATION
at South Carolina
- Date: Sunday, December 914 2025 | Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Columbia, S.C. | Venue: Colonial Life Arena
- Live Stats | Watch: ESPN | Notes | Radio
- Admission: Ticketed
LAST TIME OUT
- Penn State dropped its first game of the week to Arizona State, 74-60 on Tuesday night. The game was decided by turnovers with both teams combining for 66 total turnovers. Despite a first quarter lead, the Sun Devils climbed back from the deficit to take the win.
- Three Lady Lions reached the double-digit scoring mark including Gracie Merkle and Kiyomi McMiller who continued their streaks to eight-straight games scoring 10-plus points. Merkle had 17 points on six-of-nine shooting while McMiIller posted 12 points to go with three assists, three steals and two rebounds. Shayla Smith notched her first double figure scoring performance with 12 points. Smith was the only Lady Lion to not tally a turnover.
- Amiya Evans and Moriah Murray led PSU on the glass, posting six rebounds apiece.
- The Lady Lions out-rebounded the Sun Devils by a 39-35 margin, marking the sixth consecutive game PSU has grabbed more boards than its opponent.
SCOUTING THE GAMECOCKS
- South Carolina is consistently a top-ranked team in women’s college basketball with this season being no exception. The Gamecocks are 9-1 to start the season with their only loss coming to fourth-ranked Texas at the Players Era Championship in Las Vegas, Nev.
- SC was the SEC preseason favorite to win its 10th conference title ahead of the 2025-26 campaign.
- Ta’Niya Latson was named an AP Preseason First Team All-American and was a First Team All-SEC selection. She was named to the Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard of the Year Watch List, the Naismith Trophy Watch List, the Wade Trophy Watch List, the Wooden Award Watchlist and was named a USBWA Player of the Week on Nov. 25 after averaging 24.0 points on 77.3 percent shooting in two games. Latson scores 17.8 points per game.
- Joyce Edawards earned a spot on All-SEC First Team, the Katrina McClain Watch List, Naismith Trophy Watch List, Wade Trophy Watch List, Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard of the Year Watch List and Wooden Award Watch List. She was named SEC Player of the Week on Nov. 18 after posting 17.5 points per game throughout SC’s two victories. She leads South Carolina offensively, averaging 19.4 points per game.
- Raven Johnson was tabbed to the National Point Guard of the Year Watch List, Naismith Trophy Watch List, Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard of the Year Watch List and Wooden Award Watch List. She averages 8.8 points and 4.3 rebounds per contest.
- Maryam Dauda was named to the Cherly Miller Award Watch List ahead of the campaign.
- Agot Makeer is on the Tamika Catchings Award Preseason Watch List and Wooden Award Watch List.
- Most recently, Madina Okot picked up SEC and national recognition for her 16.5 points and 11.0 rebounds per game over a pair of wins for the Gamecocks. She averages 14.8 points and 11.1 rebounds per game. Okot leads the country in double-doubles (7) and sits seventh in rebounds (111).
- As a team, the Gamecocks are ranked third in three-point percentage (41.3), fourth in field goal percentage (53.0), fourth in blocks per game (7.2), sixth in rebound margin (14.2), ninth in scoring margin (35.5) and 10th in scoring offense (90.1).
- Last season, South Carolina fell to UConn in the National Championship to finish the campaign with a 35-4 overall record while securing the SEC Champion title.
PENN STATE – SOUTH CAROLINA SERIES
- Penn State owns the all-time series against South Carolina, 6-4.
- The two teams have not faced since Nov. 20, 2011, also in Columbia.
- The Lady Lions are 2-2 in games play in Columbia.
LADY LIONS IN THE RANKS
- Merkle finished the 2024-25 campaign ranked third in the nation and first in the conference in field goal percentage (.670). Among power 4 players, she ranked first in field goal percentage, 15th in double-doubles (13), 20th in rebounds per game (8.6) and 23rd in blocks per game.
- Moriah Murray sat 21st in the nation in three pointers per game (2.63) and second in the B1G in 2024-25.
- As a team, the Lady Lions ranked 14th in the nation in assists per game (17.7) and fifth in the Big Ten last season.
- After nine games, Merkle ranks first in the nation in field goal percentage (74.6) and fourth in field goals (91). She is also 10th in the country and third in the conference points per game (22.3).
- McMiller ranks 16th in the nation in field goals (75) and 13th in field goal attempts (168), ranking fifth and second across the B1G consecutively in those categories.
- Murray is 13th in three pointers per game (3.22) and first in the Big Ten.
- As a team, the Lady Lions are eighth in the country in field goal percentage (50.4), ranking third in the Big Ten. PSU has the 19th-best scoring offense across the nation (82.8) and ranks 16th in assists per game (19.2).