South Carolina’s Dawn Staley does not underestimate ECU ahead of clash on Sunday: “It’s gonna be tough game”
South Carolina coach Dawn Staley emphasized that the top-ranked Gamecocks are not overlooking East Carolina as they prepare for Sunday's game at the Colonial Life Arena.
The nation's No. 1 women's basketball team will play in front of its first sold-out crowd of the season, fully aware of the challenge posed by the Pirates, who hold a 2-1 record early in the season.
When asked what she expects against ECU, the coach sees the obstacle posed by the visitors, despite being ranked 116th in last season's net rankings.
"It's going to be a tough game," Staley said. "They are well-coached, they all can score, they all want to score, so they're going to force our defense – every single person that's on the floor – to defend one-on-one."
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Staley also said some keys that will get them the win on Sunday.
"We've got to trust our help, got to rebound the basketball, and, most importantly, probably have to take care of the basketball because they'll press us. They'll zone. They'll make us think a little bit, so they'll just try to get us out of our rhythm."
The teams have faced each other twice during Staley’s tenure, including a dominant 73-36 victory for South Carolina in Greenville on Dec. 30, 2023. MiLaysia Fulwiley and Ashlyn Watkins led the Gamecocks in scoring with 12 and 11 points, respectively, in a game where South Carolina’s defense forced 13 turnovers and 23 fouls and limited East Carolina to just 19.4% shooting.
The defending champions hope to retain their undefeated season. They have already notched victories against Michigan (68-62), NC State (71-57) and Coppin State (92-60).
The Pirates are also coming with a lot of steam into this game. After splitting results against Charleston Southern (81-56 win) and James Madison (57-51 loss), the Pirates were back in the win column with a 67-51 victory over Furman last time out.
South Carolina hopes to maintain undefeated season
Under Dawn Staley, the Gamecocks have cemented themselves as one of the nation’s premier basketball programs, capturing NCAA Championships in 2017, 2022 and 2024. They have also claimed the top spot in the preseason poll in four of the last five years.
South Carolina’s recent victory over Coppin State marked its 41st consecutive win. A triumph against East Carolina would tie the program’s record of 42 straight wins, set during the 2022-23 season. This streak places South Carolina alongside UConn as the only programs in history to achieve multiple 40-game winning streaks.
Should the Gamecocks continue their dominance, they could establish a new program record with a win against Clemson on Wednesday. Additionally, South Carolina is closing in on Tennessee’s SEC-record 46-game winning streak.