After getting ‘smacked’ again in title game, South Carolina’s Staley plots program’s next moves
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