COLUMBIA, S.C. — Despite securing their tenth SEC regular-season women’s basketball championship on Sunday, South Carolina forewent a grand festivity, and for a valid cause, here in Columbia, S.C.
Following their dominant 85-48 triumph against Ole Miss, the third-ranked Gamecocks secured at least a share of the championship. Nevertheless, they intend to claim the title conclusively, a feat achievable this week when they welcome Missouri.
South Carolina coach Dawn Staley remarked, “With optimism, we can accomplish that objective on Thursday, and we’ll ensure a vigorous celebration, as it represents a remarkable achievement within this conference.” She added, “I don’t wish for us to lessen our intensity, because when you can dictate your own outcome, you ought to capitalize on it.”
In the previous season, South Carolina and Texas finished even for the SEC regular-season championship with a 15-1 record, as both squads suffered defeat solely against one another in conference play. Consequently, the SEC tournament’s top seed necessitated a coin toss decision, which South Carolina claimed.
Staley stated, “We wish to avoid that scenario once more.”
South Carolina currently holds a 13-1 record in conference competition, with its sole defeat occurring during overtime at Oklahoma on January 22. Texas, following their 92-42 triumph against Mississippi State on Sunday, stands at 11-3. Vanderbilt, prior to Sunday’s games, held a 10-3 standing.
Following their match against unranked Missouri, South Carolina concludes their regular schedule on March 1 at sixteenth-ranked Kentucky. The SEC tournament will take place in proximate Greenville, South Carolina, spanning from March 4 to 8. The Gamecocks have secured that title nine times, comprising five of the last six seasons.
This season, Texas and South Carolina competed on two occasions, though merely one counted towards SEC play. The Longhorns emerged victorious in their initial encounter on November 27 in Las Vegas at the Players Era Championship. Conversely, the Gamecocks claimed their SEC contest on January 15, right here in Columbia.
This marks the Gamecocks’ tenth conference regular-season championship over a span of thirteen seasons, and their fifth successive. Only Tennessee, boasting an unparalleled eighteen regular-season championships, has triumphed in or shared the title for a greater number of successive seasons: specifically, seven, from 1998 to 2004.
Staley assumed leadership of the South Carolina program in 2008 and secured her initial SEC regular-season championship in 2014. The Gamecocks have since won national titles in 2017, 2022, and 2024. Furthermore, during that period, the Gamecocks additionally produced two WNBA top draft selections: four-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson, who was present at Sunday’s match, and Aliyah Boston.
Staley articulated how triumphs within the league have resulted in widespread national recognition, stating, “This has served as the proving ground for achievements beyond the SEC.” She continued, “Securing five consecutive SEC titles… it feels almost like a surreal sensation. And whenever we’ve won championships, the players destined for the professional ranks indeed reach that next stage. This is because success attracts talent.”
Joyce Edwards scored 21 points, and Madina Okot contributed 17 points and 10 boards versus the seventeenth-ranked Ole Miss squad. The Gamecocks restricted Ole Miss to a 26.5% field goal percentage and a mere nine points in both the second and third quarters. Cotie McMahon, Ole Miss’s top offensive player and an anticipated high WNBA draft selection alongside South Carolina’s Ta’Niya Latson and Okot, managed only 2 points and missed all nine of her field goal attempts.
Staley then proceeded to commend her players on Sunday for South Carolina’s sustained achievements throughout the seasons.
Staley commented, “The environment is intense when we compete within the caliber of conference we do. Occasionally, one must navigate the challenge to reach the control and mitigate it. I believe we have excelled at dedicating attention to our athletes precisely when they required it.”
She continued, “You understand you’ve assisted them. You’ve guided them past a moment where they might have declined, leading to a point where you’ve revitalized their self-assurance. This is the recurring pattern we experience every single year. They aren’t obligated to heed, so I’m pleased we possess a team that is receptive and holds an aspiration for excellence in their endeavors.”