We gained’t be seeing Olivia Miles and Ta’Niya Latson within the ACC subsequent season.
The multi-time All-American level guard and the nation’s main scorer entered the switch portal close to the top of March. On Tuesday, they introduced their new houses.
Miles will spend her closing 12 months of faculty basketball within the Massive 12 at TCU, the place she’ll step into the footwear of Hailey Van Lith and be the subsequent in what’s changing into a prolonged line of proficient guards to go well with up for Mark Campbell. Latson, in the meantime, reunites together with her highschool teammate Raven Johnson at South Carolina, and gives a scoring punch to a crew that would use one after shedding the nationwide title recreation to UConn by 23 factors.
When Miles and Latson entered the portal, they instantly grew to become the perfect gamers in it and left huge voids on their former groups, Notre Dame and Florida State. They’ll now be anticipated to supply boosts to their new groups. Miles will likely be tasked with guaranteeing that TCU’s first-ever Elite Eight run wasn’t only a flash within the pan, whereas Latson will likely be saddled with doing all she will to assist South Carolina get again to the Massive Dance’s largest stage.
Right here’s how each gamers change the outlook for his or her respective groups.
Olivia Miles makes TCU a contender once more
The Horned Frogs are coming off their greatest season in program historical past. In its second marketing campaign underneath Mark Campbell, TCU gained a program-record 34 video games, gained the Massive 12 for the primary time ever, after which performed within the Candy 16 and Elite Eight for the primary time ever.
However at the very least three of the highest 4 gamers from that roster — Hailey Van Lith, Sedona Prince and Agnes Emma-Nnopu — are shifting on, both off to the WNBA or out of eligibility. The way forward for a fourth, All-Massive 12 First Crew choice Madison Conner, appears to be unclear as she was celebrated on TCU’s senior night time however might have one other 12 months of eligibility left and hasn’t publicly indicated whether or not or not she is pursuing the WNBA Draft this 12 months.
No matter Conner’s standing, TCU had work to do within the portal to maintain its roster at a contending stage, contemplating the departures of the opposite three starters and that the Horned Frogs have zero ESPN High 100 recruits incoming this season. The addition of Miles, nevertheless, makes TCU a direct contender for the Massive 12 title once more and can put it in place for one more deep March Insanity run.
In each season she’s been wholesome, Miles has been to the Candy 16. She helped Notre Dame win an ACC common season title in 2023 earlier than then lacking all of what would have been her pure junior season with a knee damage. The purpose guard from New Jersey bounced again in a giant manner this season although, incomes All-ACC and All-American honors for the third time in her profession. Following a season wherein she averaged 15.4 factors, 5.6 rebounds and 5.8 assists per recreation whereas capturing 40.6 p.c from 3-point land, Miles possible would have been a high 5 decide within the WNBA Draft. As an alternative, she improves TCU’s outlook in an enormous manner.
“There may be not a greater level guard within the nation than Olivia,” Campbell mentioned in assertion. “She is a generational expertise. Her imaginative and prescient, creativity, and playmaking capability make her an ideal slot in our decide and roll system.”
TCU has additionally added Kentucky heart Clara Silva and Texas A&M guard Taliyah Parker to pair with Miles and returning starter Donovyn Hunter. And the portal is way from closing.
Ta’Niya Latson provides South Carolina what it was lacking
A participant coached by Daybreak Staley has not averaged north of 20 factors per recreation since A’ja Wilson’s senior 12 months within the 2017-18 season. A few of that’s by design, as Staley in recent times has performed a deep and a balanced rotation. The final participant to play greater than half-hour per recreation for Staley was Destanni Henderson within the 2021-22 season.
That hasn’t been a criticism of Staley in recent times, however South Carolina’s lack of a bus driver — a go-to scorer, somebody the Gamecocks might depend on to get buckets in significant moments when their protection and system wasn’t getting the job accomplished — was obvious this season. Totally different gamers stepped up at totally different occasions, however the Gamecocks lacked a dynamic offensive weapon who might get them 20 factors or extra recreation after recreation.
Enter Latson, who will spend her closing season of faculty basketball with the Gamecocks after enjoying three years at Florida State. Latson has averaged greater than 21 factors per recreation in every of her collegiate seasons, together with 25.2 factors per recreation this season which led the nation. Latson was additionally eighth nationally in free throws made, second in utilization charge, sixth in PER and fifth in offensive win shares per 40 minutes.
Merely put, she’s going to enhance South Carolina’s offense in a giant manner. A former winner of the Tamika Catchings Nationwide Freshman of the Yr award, Latson was an All-American this season and was a three-time All-ACC choice.
Latson will fill Te-Hina Paopao’s spot at capturing guard and possibly get many extra open seems to be than she acquired at Florida State the place she was far and away the No. 1 scoring choice. Paired with a veteran in Raven Johnson and electrical juniors in MiLaysia Fulwiley and Tessa Johnson, Latson may give South Carolina the most-talented backcourt within the nation.
