Everything Dawn Staley Said After South Carolina’s Win Over Kentucky to Claim SEC No. 1 Seed

In a thrilling regular season finale on March 2, South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley discussed her team’s reaction after a hard-fought 78-66 victory over Kentucky, which secured the Gamecocks their SEC regular season title.

While the win was a significant achievement for South Carolina, the path to becoming the No. 1 seed was not as straightforward. The Gamecocks had to rely on a coin toss to determine their position after finishing with an identical 15-1 record as Texas.

Speaking about the tense moment after the game, Staley admitted the uncertainty was strange, even after her team had done everything in their power to secure the top spot. “No, we just watched it in the locker room; I mean, it was kind of exciting, and the buildup was good, you know,” Staley said during her postgame press conference, which was shared on the South Carolina Gamecocks YouTube page. “I know when you are part of the equation, it doesn’t feel good to have your fate in a coin toss and I didn’t know that eight other sports use a coin flip, that was news to me. I feel a little better about it now,” she added with a chuckle.

Reflecting on the game itself, Staley explained a slight tactical adjustment that helped her team seal the win. “I thought when we got Georgia Amore going more right than left, that created better rotation for us, and I thought we did a good job capitalizing on our defense,” Staley said.

In another significant development, the win against Kentucky might have been Raven Johnson’s final home game at the Colonial Life Arena. The guard received a heartfelt standing ovation from the fans, but Staley made it clear that Johnson has not yet made a decision about her future. “Classy touch by the fans. She hasn’t made a decision, and you know for me, it’s a personal choice, so I’m not going to push her either way,” Staley shared. “I’m gonna let her and her family decide what they want to do. Obviously, Raven makes us a basketball team. Raven is a winner. She comes back, (and) it increases our chances of winning a lot more basketball games.”

Staley went on to express her confidence in Johnson’s future, whether she returns to college for another season or enters the professional ranks. “If she doesn’t, I’m sure the WNBA will welcome her. Probably not as well as we would if she came back. But Raven’s going to be a pro whether it’s coming out this year or coming out next year,” Staley said.

As for now, Johnson’s focus will be squarely on helping South Carolina pursue an NCAA championship, with her future decision still up in the air.