Dawn Staley is returning to a familiar stage as she and the South Carolina Gamecocks secured their fifth consecutive trip to the Final Four with a hard-fought 54-50 win over the Duke Blue Devils on Sunday.
South Carolina, which triumphed over Caitlin Clark’s Iowa team in last year’s national championship game, had to mount a late comeback in the fourth quarter to defeat a strong Duke squad known for its defensive prowess.
Staley, who has led South Carolina to three national titles, will aim for her fourth next week in Tampa. After the game, she took a moment to acknowledge the crowd in Birmingham.
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“You made us feel special,” Staley said. “You put women’s basketball on the map…if y’all get the bid again, I hope we are here.”
South Carolina’s next opponent will be the winner of Monday night’s Texas-TCU matchup.
