04/05/26 06:13:00
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04/05 18:12 CDT After getting 'smacked' again in title game, South Carolina's
Staley plots program's next moves
After getting 'smacked' again in title game, South Carolina's Staley plots
program's next moves
By DAVID BRANDT
AP Sports Writer
PHOENIX (AP) --- South Carolina's quest to win a fourth national title ended in
ugly fashion for a second straight season when the Gamecocks lost to UCLA 79-51
in the NCAA women's basketball title game on Sunday.
Even so, the monster program that Dawn Staley has built over the past 15 years
doesn't look like it's going anywhere.
"Obviously, we got smacked today," Staley said. "We got to figure out how we
smack back and put ourselves in the position where we're hoisting the trophy at
the end of the day."
South Carolina should be one of the top contenders to make a seventh straight
Final Four in 2027 and will have plenty of motivation after Sunday's miserable
performance. The Gamecocks shot just 29% from the field and the 28-point margin
was among the biggest in championship game history.
It's the second straight year South Carolina has fallen flat in the title game.
The Gamecocks lost 82-59 to UConn in the 2025 final.
"To get here is hard," Staley said. "To win here is harder, right? We just have
to keep getting here and make adjustments when we don't win."
Staley will undoubtedly stew over this loss for a while, but once she focuses
on next season, there are lots of reasons for optimism. Leading scorer Joyce
Edwards and Tessa Johnson are expected to return, while Madina Okot is seeking
a fifth year of eligibility from the NCAA.
Veteran forward Chloe Kitts has said she'll be back after missing this year
with a torn ACL. There's also the possibility that forward Ashlyn Watkins could
return after recovering from a knee injury and taking a year away from the
program to focus on personal growth.
On top of that, there's a group of promising young players who were reserves on
this year's team and a highly-rated recruiting class that includes guard Jerzy
Robinson.
Staley will still have work to do. The Gamecocks have to identify a new leader
to replace Raven Johnson, who excelled as a floor general during his five-year
career.
"Raven was the last of the core group of players that had been together that
actually had taken our program to the very top," Staley said. "I just think we
just need players who are committed to team, committed to getting better as
individuals, creating pro habits so when they are challenged to perform at a
high level, it won't be something that they wrestle with. It is a norm."
Johnson had a dream career with the Gamecocks --- even if it ended with a loss
--- never missing a Final Four and winning a pair of national championships.
She was sidelined most of the 2022 title run after tearing her ACL early in the
season but was an important part of South Carolina's undefeated title in 2024,
when the Gamecocks topped Caitlin Clark and Iowa in the championship game.
Johnson became more of an offensive threat this season, averaging 10 points,
but it's her leadership and defense that made her an indispensable part of this
Gamecocks title run. In the semifinals, the 5-foot-8 guard matched up with
UConn's 6-foot-2 Sarah Strong, stifling the AP Player of the Year for most of
the night.
Now, the Gamecocks have to move on without her.
If recent history is any indication, as long as Staley is in charge, South
Carolina will be well-equipped for the challenge.
"There's going to be a lot of highs and a lot of lows, but believe in Coach
Staley," Johnson said. "She wants the best for you. You might not get what you
want in that moment, but you just believe in the process and trust the process,
everything will turn out good."
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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and
coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness
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