"I don't just give honor to God when we win. He's the reason for all seasons; it's not harvest time yet. It wasn't in the cards.
I'm never going to turn my back on the game of basketball. It's given too much to me. I'm still favored."
Dawn Staley.
"She's always been like that second mom, no matter what. She motivates you. She pushes you to be the best person you can be. Every step of the way."
An emotional moment from Aliyah Boston as she reflects on her relationship with Dawn Staley:
Full answer from Dawn Staley when asked about the final minutes of the game. Says she doesn't want the people tuning into women's basketball to think that's "our game."
Includes Flau'jae Johnson's apology to Staley after the game: "She's a really good person."
Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese are teammates.
Kamilla: "Two great players together... nobody's going to get no rebounds on us!"
Angel says their duo vs. Cameron Brink-Rickea Jackson (LA Sparks) will be fun to watch.
"I got really emotional because the main goal was to get here and be able to give my family a better life."
Kamilla Cardoso felt all the feelings of achieving a lifelong dream. She's now a member of the
@chicagosky
💙
Alright… this week I learned:
- I should be more specific about my golf experience
- Scottie Scheffler and I can both bogey No. 7
-
@BarstoolBigCat
is now one of my biggest supporters
- Playing Augusta National is everything you think it’d be and more. I’m unbelievably grateful
"I wish I could stay here for a million years. It's a place where you're going to grow as a woman, as a basketball player. It's the place to be. It's something I'm going to hold dear to my heart for the rest of my life."
The four-year Dawn Staley effect on Laeticia Amihere:
Plenty of conversations lately about how all of USC's bench players could start somewhere else. They know that. They don't care.
"For them it's not about being a great player somewhere else. Being coached by Dawn Staley, Final Fours... that's how they look at it."
Dawn Staley says Fulwiley and Watkins were tested at LSU and didn't meet the moment in the first quarter. They sat, then came back in and performed.
"That's trust building. I know they were mad. They're competitors. They should be mad, & then they should do something about it."
"I want to leave South Carolina with a championship."
Kamilla Cardoso captioned her WNBA Draft announcement with "still have unfinished business." She followed that up with 22 points and 11 rebounds on 10-12 shooting from the floor against NC State.
"A dream come true. To play with the best post player in the country, one of the best defenders. I'm blessed to be able to play with them. Knowing we were just two games away from being perfect... it's tough."
Zia Cooke reflects on her teammates and their memorable journey:
"It shows my growth, my discipline, my patience. Just to see that the Minnesota Lynx were able to see that... it's a blessing."
Brea Beal was selected with the final pick of the second round. The moment was worth waiting for and she's ready to prove her offensive game
#Gamecocks
Sunday's win over UNC could mark Kamilla Cardoso's last at Colonial Life Arena. She was filled with emotion when I asked her what this building and the people in it have meant to her.
"I found a family... a family away from home. They've showed me so much love."
Aliyah Boston is now the South Carolina program leader in career double-doubles, passing Sheila Foster's 41-year record.
"Good players don't player hate...it just knocked me down one notch. It's all in the Gamecock family. It's all in the Gamecock house."
#Gamecocks
"We had a lot of South Carolina fans... some of them didn't even have on South Carolina gear. Regular fans rooting for us."
Ashlyn Watkins talks about the growth of women's basketball, how cool it is to see it from the sidelines. Says it means a lot to have "everybody watching."
"I'm extremely proud to be a Gamecock. These are my sisters for life. We're family. I'm proud that I came here."
The impact of South Carolina, Dawn Staley and her fellow teammates on transfer guard and forever Gamecock Kierra Fletcher:
Meet Rosemary. She might be Kamilla Cardoso’s biggest fan.
“I like that she has so much courage and she’s independent.” Loves that she’s from South America - her dad is too!
“And if they don’t… they’ll pay the price.”
South Carolina comes into Tennessee’s arena — where the Vols were 10-0 this season — and turns the lights off.
Gamecocks upset the No. 5 Volunteers, 63-59. Pure joy from Lamont Paris & Co.:
"Just knowing I have to step into a really big role next year, and honestly, I'm ready to step into that role. Next year, I'm trying to come back here."
Sophomore guard Bree Hall knows the future of the program is bright. It's go time into 2023-2024:
Mississippi State head coach Sam Purcell opens his postgame presser with immense respect for Dawn Staley and the Gamecock fanbase:
"Everybody talks about dreams and bars - this program is the bar." Says they're trying to emulate that vision back home in Starkville.
"We're used to this... emotional time for her and us, but we've got a job to do."
First interview with Dawn Staley after Kamilla Cardoso declared for the WNBA Draft. Mentioned the "unfinished business," said Cardoso is seeing it through.
Both up for Naismith Awards today.
"To find the beauty in your struggle and embrace your journey... once I was able to do that, I was just happy me."
Zia Cooke reflects on the biggest lesson she learned in her time as a Gamecock as she embarks on a new journey in Los Angeles
#Gamecocks
"I love these girls. That's really it. I think we're going to remember each other forever. Always keep in touch."
Five incredible years out of Victaria Saxton as a Gamecock:
Can’t say enough about the development of Bree Hall.
Spent two years coming off the bench with a smile on her face. Now a full-time starter making impacts one way or another every single game.
Have to give Breezy her flowers. This team wouldn’t be what it is without her.
"What happened last year was the best thing to ever happen to me."
Raven Johnson's journey from virality to inner peace has been a year-long affair. She went from wanting to quit basketball to competing for a national title.
Dawn Staley says she's learning who she wants to be.
"Winning is in our DNA. It's an acronym for Dreams, Nets and Assets. Our players, when they come here, their dreams come true."
@dawnstaley
on this year's theme for
@GamecockWBB
:
"All the things Molly did helped lead us up to this time. The other team... they're tired but we just keep going up."
MiLaysia Fulwiley shouts out
@MollyBinetti
's conditioning when talking about the 29-6 explosion the Gamecocks had in the third quarter.
South Carolina let a 22-point third quarter lead slip away, dwindling down to as close a two. Some of the players I talked to said they got too comfortable in the second half.
Dawn Staley says they took bad shots and weren't calculated enough, should've gone to Kamilla more:
"We want to win for them. We love that they're rooting for us."
From
@aa_boston
on the broadcast to
@zia_cooke
and
@_Theblackqueen_
in the stands, the current Gamecocks feel the support of those who came before. They want to capture a title in their honor, esp. for the Freshies.
"You underestimate some teams because you forget... we just have to remind them. We're doing a great job keeping the ifs some ifs."
From a preseason No. 6 ranking to another undefeated season and a fourth-straight trip to the Final Four.
"This is only the second time we've played on ABC... why? Obviously the numbers are good enough to repeat, but this should've happened a long time ago."
Dawn Staley and the Gamecocks face South Florida Sunday at 1 p.m. on ABC. Staley on why they should "keep putting us on":
.
@GamecockWBB
heads to College Station to face a tough Texas A&M team on Sunday, then heads to LSU next Thursday. USC is 16-0 (4-0 SEC), the only unbeaten team in the SEC and country.
"We don't even look at us being undefeated...we're just trying to win a national championship."
Raven Johnson touches on what her journey since last year's Final Four has looked like, saying she was depressed and wanted to quit basketball.
"They didn't even know me... you can't sag off me this year. I'm proud of myself and the adversity I faced."
Tessa Johnson recorded her first career block in the Gamecocks' SEC quarterfinal win over Texas A&M.
@Alan__Cole
asked Ashlyn Watkins to grade it from a post player's perspective - "she gets, uhh... a six."
What does she need to do to improve? "Jump." 🤣
“Thank you for making it feel like a championship every single time we come into this gym.”
USC wins its eighth SEC regular season championship in the last 11 years. The Gamecocks (26-0, 13-0 SEC) secure the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament and Dawn Staley’s 600th win.
"Sometimes I wake up and I walk into the facility... and I'm just like 'dang, I'm actually here."
Keenan legend and
#Gamecocks
newcomer MiLaysia Fulwiley is finally a member of the South Carolina squad, a transition she called "seamless."
@MilaysiaF
"He's like a father figure to me. He's always encouraging me. He's always motivating me to be better. This is one of the best coaches I've ever played for."
High praise for Lamont Paris (
@CoachLParis
) from Meechie Johnson (
@MeechieJohnson0
) after the
#Gamecocks
' exhibition:
"No matter what's happening in the world, no matter how heartless we think it is - when you look at Gamecock Jesus, you know there is a God."
@wis10
's
@NickNeville_
spoke with
@dawnstaley
after the passing of USC super fan Carlton Thompson. Thompson attended games for 50+ years.
"You can tell in her eyes when she's going to make a three. She wanted it."
Raven Johnson hit from deep to give South Carolina a five-point lead late in the fourth. Kamilla Cardoso provided the assist: "We have really good chemistry, we've played together for eight years."
"I've been winning for most of my life. I want to bring that winning culture to Atlanta."
South Carolina's go anywhere, do anything player is headed to the Dream. Laeticia Amihere is ready to bring the wins to a team that hasn't been to the playoffs since 2018
#Gamecocks
.
@tehinapaopa0
's raw reaction to us telling her USC's bench scored 51 points against UNC... 😂
"It's so special. They're different - just hoopers when they come off the bench. Proud of them for shooting with confidence."
"Everything we do should be celebrated, just like a sport. We celebrate dunks in the men's game...we dunk. It's a part of our game."
Ashlyn Watkins recorded her second-career slam + her first at the CLA. It's a moment the fans will remember, but one the team wants to normalize:
Guess I’ve gotta learn some Country Roads… I’m headed to the Mountain State!
Thrilled to be joining the sports team
@WDTV5News
in Bridgeport, West Virginia. Leaving Alabama is bittersweet, but I’m so excited to get started.
See you on the 21st, WV!
FINAL: South Carolina 83 UConn 65.
Gamecocks never trail — Te-Hina Paopao leads with 21 & drills 5-7 from three. Double-double for Raven Johnson (10pts/12reb) + four in double-figures.
Fourth-straight win over the Huskies. Gamecocks are 23-0 and head to Tennessee on Thurs.
"I haven't... we haven't accomplished what we want to accomplish yet. We didn't come this far just to come this far."
It's been a revenge tour all season long for Raven Johnson - she's now one step closer to getting that revenge on Sunday.
"It really means something so deep. That is our safe space... I could cry."
The "Freshies" will take the court at most two more times as a group of five.
@aa_boston
doesn't know what she's going to say to them just yet... and it'll take some time to figure out the right words:
Kamilla Cardoso last attempted a three-pointer on December 17, 2020. She missed.
Her next attempt from deep just sent South Carolina to the SEC Tournament championship game for a ninth time in program history.
"Is that MarShawn Lloyd or Marshawn Lynch? Is that Beast Mode?"
@SCState_Fb
HC Buddy Pough gives credit where it's due after
@m_lloyd_2
's career game. The Bulldogs have a tough test ahead of them this weekend if the
#Gamecocks
can maintain the run game.
@wis10
@GamecockFB
"I can do things that no one else in the gym can do." ... "I'm fearless." ... "Listen and ask questions."
So much respect for
@dawnstaley
right out of the gate from the incoming
#Gamecocks
freshmen. All three detail the best advice Staley has given them so far:
"When we're locked in, we can dominate. When we dictate the game like that, it's a W."
South Carolina's 29 third-quarter points tie the record for most scored in a period in the history of the women's Final Four. They were surprised by the stat, but not their own grit.
.
@dawnstaley
: "Aliyah, are you playing tomorrow?"
@aa_boston
: ...😃
Boston will be a game-time decision on Tuesday night against No. 15 UCLA. She was a limited participant in practice
#Gamecocks
"We want to win this national championship so bad... we feel like we have it at our fingertips."
It's officially an Iowa-South Carolina rematch in the national championship game.
Luke Ratliff was special, and he’ll always be special.
Thank you for the way you showed Tuscaloosa how to be a true fan of
@UA_Athletics
. There’s no way anyone will ever be able to forget your impact.