As Dawn Staley’s South Carolina Gamecocks prepare for their Final Four showdown against Geno Auriemma’s UConn Huskies in Phoenix on April 3, Raven Johnson has spoken her mind.
Raven sat down for an interview with NCAA reporter Autumn Johnson ahead of the rematch of the 2024 semifinal on Wednesday.
“How would you describe the zone you’re in right now?” Autumn asked Raven.
“I’m in a zone of just winning,” the Gamecocks point guard replied. ” I’m in my head, I’m just thinking whatever it takes to win. If that’s me defending the best player, if that’s me scoring, if that’s me trying to uplift my teammates, if that’s me having to sit on the bench and somebody, if it’s not my day and somebody else on my team is their day, I would do that. Like it doesn’t matter to me, but I’m in a headspace of winning, and whatever it takes to do, I’m going to do that.”
Raven Johnson has been a part of a Final Four team in every single season of her five-year career (2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026). On April 3, if the Gamecocks defeat UConn, they will advance to the National Championship game, to be played on April 5. The winner of this game will play either UCLA or Texas for the championship.
It means Raven will move one step closer to her goal of becoming a three-time national champion. The Gamecocks’ national championship win in 2022 was a bittersweet victory for Raven, as just two games into her freshman season, she suffered a left-knee ACL tear, which cut short her rookie year. Thus, when the Gamecocks defeated UConn 64-49 in the title game, Johnson watched the clash from the bench.
Next was the 2024 title. In the national championship game against Iowa, Raven put on a defensive masterclass. She stripped Caitlin Clark clean in the final seconds of the first half. It was a play that shifted the momentum and helped in the 87-75 win.
In 2026, the path goes through a UConn team that is currently on a 54-game winning streak and looking for its own historic finish.
Raven Johnson Reacts to Being Named Sacramento 4 Regional Most Outstanding Player
Raven Johnson was named the Most Outstanding Player (MOP) of the Sacramento 4 Regional after the Gamecocks defeated TCU 78-52 on Monday.
In the same interview with Autumn Johnson, Raven revealed that she initially questioned whether she had heard her name correctly.
“When they said my name, I was like, ‘Wait, did they say that right? Like, is it me?’” she said.
However, the Gamecocks’ star did not focus on speaking about herself. She said that the honor belonged just as much to her teammates and coaching staff. Johnson also pointed to the Gamecocks’ strong fan presence.
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