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South Carolina

Dawn Staley not worried ahead of national title game vs UConn

by:Austin Brezina•04/03/22•

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As South Carolina prepares to face UConn in the NCAA Women’s Championship Game, head coach Dawn Staley believes they’re just as dominant of a team. When asked about the Huskies’ perfect 11-0 record in championship games, Staley responded by mentioning South Carolina’s own undefeated record of 1-0. The Gamecocks won a national title in 2017 after beating Mississippi State in their fourth-straight season winning the SEC title.

Dawn Staley on UConn’s dominance

There’s no question that UConn and their coach Geno Auriemma have been known as the standard to beat in college basketball for decades, but Staley is no stranger to the biggest stage either. Despite still playing high school basketball when Auriemma began his coaching career, Staley has done plenty in her run as head coach of the Gamecocks. Since being named head coach in 2008, Staley has led South Carolina to a 365–105 record and 10 NCAA Tournament appearances.

The Gamecocks won their sixth SEC title under Staley this season, and are now back to the NCAA Championship Game for just the second time in school history. The fact that UConn has done it 11 times before — and won them all — doesn’t seem to affect Staley’s confidence in her team at all.

“We’re 1-0. So we’re 100 percent too,” said Staley on the historical success of the Huskies.

Auriemma took over as coach of the Huskies in 1985 and has established the program as one of the most dominant in basketball history. In his 34 years as head coach, UConn has been in the NCAA Tournament 31-straight times since 1989. They have reached the Final Four 22 times, and won 11 national championships — including four-straight from 2013 to 2016. Auriemma’s lengthy and incredible career has seen him win 25 national Coach of the Year awards and an induction in the Basketball Hall of Fame.

The Gamecocks and Huskies will tip-off the National Championship Game at 8 p.m. ET, brining an end to an incredible season and tournament.