Everything Dawn Staley said before South Carolina's home finale against Kentucky

Heading into South Carolina’s final home game of the regular season, head coach Dawn Staley spoke with the media on Friday to preview the team’s upcoming matchup against No. 15 Kentucky. Here’s everything she had to say.

Dawn, obviously not the first senior day you’ve been through. How do you look at this group’s ability to compartmentalize that and realize it’s a game against a really good team to play?

“I don’t know until Sunday. But we got a game to win, and we’re going to be celebrating our seniors, obviously. But it always seems like it’s a game in which we got to win. So we got to go out there and win the game and compartmentalize. Celebrate them when it’s time to celebrate them. When the game is up, it’s a business game for us. But they’ve been probably the most successful class in the history of our program. That’s saying a whole lot. It really is saying a whole lot. We won two national championships with this class and they did what they said they were coming in here to do. Specifically, Raven (Johnson) cause Raven didn’t say one; it was plural to her. Hopefully, we’re in the mix to win another one.”

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When you look at Kentucky, they really kind of put a beatdown on Tennessee yesterday. What did you see from them in that win?

“Just play really connected. The pressure didn’t bother them. They passed through it. They hit shots, they play comfortable, and they’re the type of team in which, if you allowed them to play comfortable, they’ll pick you apart. Great guard play. Great vision out there. Not a whole lot of disruption, and when you don’t disrupt a team like that that can hang 100 on you easily, it’s a hard night.”

With Chloe Kitts making history last night, what type of confidence boost can that give a player this time of the year?

“Obviously, a triple-double is going to give you some confidence. Where that confidence leads you, to chase the repeat of doing it again, or just to play the right way. Chloe got it cause she played the right way for as long as she was in the game. And if she can continue that, playing the right way, she might find herself in another triple-double situation. She’s always been one for me that has played the right way, the potential to play the right way a lot, and my expectation is that from her. When she doesn’t give us that, she loses out opportunities to get triple-doubles.”

You’ve always talked about how tough you are on Chloe. What has it been like to see her develop into a player who’s capable of doing what she did last night?

“Well, what I’m really proud of with Chloe is she’s an adult now. Like she’s grown. Her habits are grown-like. Her communication is great. She’s really not been here very long for her to get it. So I think that’s what I’m most proud of. Her game is maturing as well. So I’m super proud when people pour into their game, and with good habits, you set yourself up to have these type of moments but also just playing the right way moments.”

Your offense had a bit of lull in the second quarter and was able to get it back pretty well. What did you see then and how are you guys able to ride the ship home after a tough spot?

“I think our defense wasn’t very good. Our shot selection wasn’t very good during that time. We know what the culprits are when we’re in that situation. It is; we got to take expected shots. It forces us to get back on defense or get offensive rebounds. When that doesn’t happen, it favors our opponent, and they took advantage of it.”

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Dawn, not to keep talking about the coin flip over and over again, but I know you got another game before that even 100 percent comes into frame. But you said the SEC, you kind of wish they had thought ahead of time with Texas and Oklahoma coming in. Is that something where you wish there was maybe another tiebreaker scenario before the coin flip, or do you wish fate wasn’t necessarily in the coin’s hands?

“I would say imagine if it was football and it’s a coin flip, not for the who gets the ball first but who gets the first seeding in the national championship. Imagine. Now, I’m not trying to throw the commissioner under the bus by any means. It has been a part of the tiebreakers since as long as I’ve been in the SEC, and that’s what it is. It’s unfortunate it’s coming down to that. Hopefully, we can take care of it. I look forward to the coin toss at this point because that means we won. So it is what it is at this point. We going to call up to the coin guys to see if they can, and we take care of business that it flips over on the Gamecocks’ side.”

Did you ask to examine the coin before it’s flipped?

“No, I’m looking at the SEC Network and seeing the coin. I don’t know if that’s the coin, but they got a coin. I don’t know. It’s pretty cool, though.”

Will you ask them to send you one if it lands on the Gamecock side?

“All day long. I’ll carry it to here until we are very, very successful with it.”

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