Everything Dawn Staley said after South Carolina's win over Grand Canyon

South Carolina head women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley spoke to the media following the team’s 94-54 win over Grand Canyon on Monday. Here’s everything she had to say.

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Do you have any update on Maddy McDaniel?

“I think she got kneed in her knee. Is she okay? She won’t practice tomorrow, but neither will anybody else because we’re off.

“Maddy’s pretty tough. Maddy heals up pretty quickly, so I’m not too worried.”

What did you like about what your trio of guards (Tessa Johnson, Ta’Niya Latson and Raven Johnson) brings to the floor? Was it a welcome sight for them to get off to the start they did today?

“I mean, they’re our most experienced guards, so you tend to expect those type of things. I’m impressed with the efficient part of it; they’re, very very efficient. And, more likely, they’re getting some layups. You can’t just be a jump shooter. They’re attacking the basket; they’re getting layups. They’re in a pretty good rhythm, and they practice that way. They practice like it’s a game. So, when it’s game time, it’s just the same type of rhythm.”

How potent do you think that Ta’Niya Latson-Raven Johnson partnership can be this year?

“In a team in which we got four new players, we got a total of seven players who haven’t played a whole lot of minutes for us, it’s good to have that instant chemistry from them playing high school and AAU together. That’s something that we can bank. We just have to start connecting, just have a connection out there. (We have) four new starters, so it’s just going to take a little bit of time for us to create the chemistry that we need to be better — especially defensively, because we got a lot of work, slide different than what we’re used to. So, we just have to figure it out.

“We’re in the season now, so games are going to have to be that. It’s not our normal way of doing things, but it’s just the cards that we’ve been dealt.”

You had to go with a four-guard lineup a couple times, and different variations of that, after some foul trouble. What did you like from it, and how would you evaluate what you saw from it?

“I haven’t done it in practice. We just did it because we needed a better matchup, and we were in foul trouble. It’s okay. It wasn’t like, ‘Oh, we gotta do it again.’ But we have to do it again because teams will play small ball on us. We just gotta get used to it.

“I thought Ayla (McDowell) did a really good job in just continuing to fight, just continuing to play, giving multiple efforts, defensively and on the boards. Some people need to take a page out of her book because, if we can play like that, it’ll clean up some of the mishaps that we have out there.”

What did you like from your defense tonight, and what is the main area that you’d like to see improved?

“I think, in the beginning, our ball screen defense was a little cleaner than it was when we played UNC. They made adjustments; and then, we couldn’t quite keep the same discipline. Then, we’re switching when we’re not supposed to switch.

“We’re point switching. I don’t even know where they got that from. I really don’t know where they got this switch. Like, it’s not been a part of who we’ve been. Again, though, other people come in with habits, and that’s what they do. They don’t even do that in practice. Like, it was new to see that. And it was not just one; it was, like, our starting guards did it. They all did it at certain times. They would leave their player and go rebound. It was really undisciplined basketball that we have to clean up.

“Luckily, we can put points on the scoreboard. I do like the fact that we can put points on the scoreboard. But we can’t rely on scoring 90 points every game.”

With a driving guard like Ta’Niya Latson, how much pressure does it take off the inside game, and how much you do you have to change your coaching style and the playbook to accommodate that?

“I mean, we need both (a driving guard and dominant big). We need Madina (Okot) to step up. Joyce (Edwards) is going to do her thing, but we need Madina. We need Adhel (Tac). Adhel’s giving us what she can give us right now until she continues to get more game experience. We need Maryam (Dauda) to step up. But we need Madina to be dominant — no doubt about it. I don’t think we go very far if we don’t have her contributing a little more than what she’s doing.

“But, again, it’s new. So, it’s gonna take some time for her to get there. And we’re gonna push her towards that. I’m hoping she didn’t like her play. I’m hoping she didn’t like the 17 minutes that she played and comes back. You just have to figure out how and when or where those buttons are to push.”

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What does it say about your team offensively to be able to adjust to a team that is trying to take the paint away and still be able to get those type of looks on the perimeter?

“I mean, I think we got experienced guard play. You can go pretty far with good guard play. But, at some point, you’re gonna need the bigs to come alive. They did pack it early, and we kind of knew that he was going to gap defense it. So, we really just told our players, ‘Stay locked, loaded and shoot the ball in rhythm.’ And that’s what we did.”

Today, you announced that you’re going back to Paris next year. Why are you so excited and want to do that again?

“It was a great trip; it was a memorable trip. It was a great experience for our players. Our fans traveled. It was very similar to a home game. And now, we have a French player on our roster to take home. It’s recruiting.

“And we sure did (win a title at the end of that season).”

What was it like having (Grand Canyon head coach) Winston (Grady) back here? And, as a coach, are you comfortable in that situation where you’re going up against former assistants?

“I think Winston’s done a great job with only having two or three players left on that roster — him recruiting and getting the talent that he got. I mean, for him to come here play us… Maybe he thought it was probably going to be closer; maybe he thought he could win. And that’s the type of attitude you need to bring in a place like this.

“I liked our chances, but I didn’t think it was a sure win — just from him being able to coach and probably knowing some of our weaknesses. Anybody that comes in here, whether they’re family or foe, we want to beat. So, it was cool. It’ll be cool to have (Bowling Green head coach) Fred (Chmiel) back with his team. And I hope it’s the same result.”

How much will Tessa Johnson’s versatility and ability to score with anyone out there, and do it no matter what the defense is giving her, help?

“Tessa’s been building towards being this type of guard for the past two years. (She had a) better freshman year than sophomore year to me. She just really got serious. I don’t think she liked her sophomore season, so it’s on the player. It really is on the player to understand who they are, what they can be, pour into and put the work in. Tessa puts the work in; Tessa has always put the work in. Tessa probably did not get the results that she got, that she’s supposed to get, last year. But she probably didn’t put the work in that she put in the year before. So, you have to make adjustments, and she’s been putting in the work.

“That’s what junior (year) is supposed to look like. When they put it all together, when they trust, when they believe, and when they understand their process, that’s what it looks like. I don’t have to say much to Tessa; I don’t. She comes to practice; she plays on both sides of basketball. She works before, after practice; she probably comes in and practices on her own, shoots on her own. And that’s the maturation process for someone coming to college. It isn’t anything but that.

“When they have the understanding, it isn’t us that’s moving the needle; it’s them that’s moving the needle. And Tessa’s right where she needs to be.”

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