Dawn Staley apologizes for South Carolina-LSU fight: 'That's not who we are, that's not what we're about'

The SEC Championship ended in distasteful fashion with both South Carolina and LSU getting involved in a confrontation with several layers to it. That’s why, following the game, Dawn Staley wanted to say sorry to those who had to witness that incident.

Staley spoke with Brooke Weisbrod after the Gamecocks won 79-72 over the Tigers in Greenville. Although her team had just won the tournament title, she has to express regret and apologize to everyone for the role that her team had in that taking place.

“I just want to apologize to the basketball community. When you’re playing in championship games like this, in our league? Things get heated,” said Staley. “No bad intentions. Their emotions got so far ahead of them that, sometimes, these things happen.

“I want to apologize for us playing a part in that because that’s not who we are and that’s not what we’re about,” Staley said. “I’m happy for the players that were able to finish the game and get us another championship.”

As far as her message to her team afterward, Staley said she’d be reminding her girls that they’d need to keep their cool. She understands that it can be a challenge but also knows it’s necessary in order to avoid what happened today.

“I mean we’re going to talk about it. We’ve always talked about it. Never leave the bench, never get too high with the highs or low with the lows,” Staley said. “It’s hard when you’re playing. I’ve played this game a long time. I can’t tell you I was a saint at all times. Your emotions get the best of you. It’s unfortunate that the players that got ejected can’t be a part of the celebration.”

With about two minutes to go in the fourth quarter, Flau’jae Johnson committed an intentional foul after MiLaysia Fulwiley stole the ball from her. That then led to jawing from Bree Hall and Ashlyn Watkins with Johnson responding by shoving Watkins away. After that, Kamilla Cardoso escalated it all with a shove that sent Johnson to the deck.

From there, both benches cleared out to defend their respective sides. We also had a family member, Johnson’s brother, coming out of the stands to take part. He leaped over the scorer’s table to be amidst the scrum before leaving in handcuffs.

All in all, the officials ejected several players from the game. That left both teams to essentially play five-on-five to end the contest. The most significant penalty went to Cardoso, the Gamecocks’ leader in points, rebounds, and blocks, as she’ll now miss the first game of the NCAA Tournament due to her specific ejection.

A quality matchup between the two best in the Southeastern Conference shouldn’t have ended in such an unfortunate way. The question now is how both teams, specifically South Carolina, will move onward from it at the conclusion of this tournament and to start the next one.