South Carolina's Raven Johnson shows love to FSU's Ta'Niya Latson on becoming player of the week

South Carolina guard Raven Johnson has given flowers to Florida State Seminoles guard Ta'Niya Latson, who was awarded AP women's basketball national player of the week on Tuesday. Johnson shared the post announcing the award to her Instagram Stories and added three heart emojis over it.

Latson was given the award for her performance against Virginia Tech, scoring 40 points — the most by any player in the Atlantic Coast Conference this season — and being one of just eight players in the past 23 years to achieve 40 points, five assists and five steals in a single game.

Screenshot via Instagram Stories

Raven Johnson challenged by South Carolina coach Dawn Staley to keep working

After achieving her 200th Southeastern Conference regular-season victory over Missouri on Thursday, South Carolina coach Dawn Staley spoke about Raven Johnson's impact on the game and how she can improve.

Raven Johnson contributed seven points, three rebounds, one assist and a block in 23 minutes, but her performance didn’t entirely win over Staley, who highlighted both Johnson’s progress and areas for improvement after the game.

"Raven’s come a long way from the beginning of the season," Staley said.

She said that Johnson’s offseason preparation wasn’t up to her usual standard, leading to a slower start this year.

"When you don’t put in the work you did before, it shows, and that’s what happened early on," Staley said.

Staley also acknowledged Johnson’s recent dedication to turning things around.

"She’s been getting back in the gym and reconnecting with her game. It’s an easy fix when you put in the effort, and she’s done just that," Staley said, adding that Johnson’s hard work is making a noticeable impact on the team.

Raven Johnson’s stats may show a dip from last year, but her recent games paint a different picture. Over her last six outings, she has shot 50% or better in five games and displayed improved playmaking skills.

"We’re a much better team now than a month ago, and Raven’s contributions have been a big part of that," Staley said.

In those six games, Johnson has recorded multiple assists in five matchups, limited turnovers to just four, and improved her three-point shooting, hitting eight of her last 17 attempts from beyond the arc.

Johnson's next opportunity to make an impact on her team will come on Thursday against Texas A&M.