'I'm shocked': South Carolina's Women's Final Four run surprises coach Dawn Staley
CLEVELAND — You don't find teams with spotless records that fly under the radar.
South Carolina is the exception at this year's Women's Final Four.
The Gamecocks are 36-0. They are ranked No. 1 in the country. They are in the Final Four for the fourth straight year. They were national champions in 2022.
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Nationwide interest in the Gamecocks isn't at an all-time high, though. Most of the attention for Friday's semifinals has been geared toward the second game between Iowa and Connecticut. South Carolina will square off with North Carolina State in the opener.
The Gamecocks don't mind that one bit.
"I feel like we've noticed that we might not get as much coverage, but we're just so focused on us and want to win every game," said junior guard Bree Hall, a Dayton native. "We want to go out there and perform and execute and play for each other.
"It's not something we're talking about in the locker room, not even remotely close."
Only a handful of teams have come close to beating the Gamecocks this season. Their only true threat in the NCAA Tournament came against Indiana in the regional semifinals, where South Carolina held on for a 79-75 win.
How impressive is South Carolina's run this season? The Gamecocks are back in the Final Four after losing all five starters from last year's team. That team also went unbeaten before losing to Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes in the national semifinals.
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Coach Dawn Staley said earlier this week she is surprised to see the 2023-24 Gamecocks in this position.
"I'm going to tell you this — our coaching staff put in a lot of work," Staley said. "Sometimes when you put the work in, it's returned in this fashion. It has caught us off guard, but I'm super happy for our players because they started from the bottom and then they're here."
Kamilla Cardoso rose from backup center a year ago to become a first team All-American this season. She was voted Most Outstanding Player at the Albany 1 Regional.
Freshman guard MiLaysia Fulwiley was named MVP of the Southeastern Conference Tournament. She scored a season-high 24 points in the championship game against LSU.
Tessa Johnson, another freshman guard, is playing her best basketball of the season. She scored 15 points in Sunday's Elite Eight win over Oregon State.
With inexperience sprinkled all over the roster, a third national title could end up as South Carolina's most satisfying one.
"I'm shocked that we're undefeated," Staley said. "I'm shocked that we're here at the Final Four competing for a national championship."
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This article originally appeared on The Repository: South Carolina's unbeaten women's basketball team flies under radar
