Analyst Criticizes Dawn Staley for ‘Sense of Entitlement’ Over No. 1 Seed Complaints Ahead of March Madness

In a live broadcast of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament selection, South Carolina Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley made her frustrations known after the NCAA Selection Committee awarded the No. 1 overall seed to UCLA instead of her team. Her comments have quickly ignited debate among college basketball analysts.

Following the seeding announcement, Staley didn’t hold back, stating:

“I will say this. We’re gonna make adjustments to our schedule in the future if the standard is the standard. If that’s the standard, then we can play any schedule and get a No. 1 seed.”

Staley’s remarks triggered a response from sports analyst Steve Kim, who voiced his perspective during Monday’s episode of “Fearless with Jason Whitlock.” Kim questioned the validity of Staley’s complaint, especially since UCLA had held the No. 1 spot for much of the season.

“Wasn’t UCLA the No. 1-rated team for a good portion of this past season?” Kim asked. “What’s the complaint here? You lose head-to-head, they are a good team. But Dawn Staley has a perpetual sense of entitlement and absolutely participates in the ‘victimhood Olympics’ even when she’s on top and she has a monster of a program that is a dynasty.”

Despite Staley’s concerns, analysts believe the Gamecocks still have a solid chance to reach the Final Four. With their path to the tournament’s later stages appearing favorable, South Carolina won’t face UCLA unless both teams make it to the national championship game.

In their previous meeting on February 16, UCLA defeated the Gamecocks in a dominant 29-point victory. However, it’s worth noting that South Carolina is the reigning national champion, having triumphed over Iowa in last year’s title game, marking their third national championship and second in the past three years.

NCAA Committee Clarifies Decision Between South Carolina and UCLA

While Staley voiced her disagreement, the NCAA provided clarity regarding their decision. Committee chair Derita Dawkins spoke with ESPN’s Holly Rowe during the selection show, explaining that two factors ultimately separated UCLA from South Carolina: head-to-head performance and competitiveness in losses.

“Two key factors between UCLA and South Carolina. One was the head-to-head matchup, the other was one of our criteria, which is competitiveness in losses. South Carolina suffered a 29-point loss to UConn,” Dawkins said. “Those were the two key differences in those résumés.”

Despite the seeding controversy, the Gamecocks are now focusing on their ultimate goal: to become the first team to win consecutive NCAA women’s basketball titles since UConn achieved a four-year streak from 2013 to 2016.