In what now seems like a normal occurrence, the Lady Gamecocks have punched their ticket to the SEC Championship for the sixth straight season.
South Carolina defeated Oklahoma 93-75 on Saturday afternoon in front of a packed house at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville. The Gamecocks were led by freshman Joyce Edwards who totaled 21 points while shooting eight of 17 from the floor.
"I think we are playing our best basketball," Dawn Staley said post-game. "I have always said that playing in the SEC prepares you to win national championships. We don't win our three without playing in this league. You sharpen your skillset as a team and individually. It is the very thing when I left Temple, to be challenged everyday. In the beginning, I thought it was professional suicide but you get used to it; you're either going to sink or swim."
Nine different Lady Gamecocks found themselves in the scoring column on Saturday with five of the nine scoring in double figures. While the scoreboard was lopsided, points in the paint was also heavily in favor of South Carolina as they found 56 of their 93 points down low.
Edwards scored a season high 28 vs Florida in February and Saturday's performance marked the second time this season that the freshman has scored 21. When asked about the team woe's from beyond the three point line, Edwards credited her teammates. "We're resilient." Two words, but 29 examples of team basketball displayed by the Lady Gamecocks thus far this season. "The good thing about South Carolina is that we have so many different players that can score," Edwards remarked, "we are not dependent on one thing and it shows."
Taking a look at the box score, South Carolina shot 47% from the field on Saturday and 13% from beyond the three point line. The free throw line was a friendly area as the team shot 79% from the stripe. South Carolina was also very opportunistic as twenty-two of the Gamecock's ninety-three points came off of Oklahoma turnovers.
Staley's team has now broken records while stacking up one of the most impressive runs in college basketball and Staley knows that what has been accomplished is only possible with great pieces around her. When asked what it is like to reflect, Staley was nothing but grateful for times that weren't so bright. "Those early years are the times that keep us motivated to continue to win," Staley said, "we lost a whole lot. You gain by losing, sometimes and it helps you sharpen your skills and who you want to be. I am just proud that I got a chance to coach some really talented individuals and great human beings. I am so honored to represent this conference."
South Carolina will now await the winner of the LSU versus Texas game to find out their opponent for the championship on Sunday. I asked Staley post-game if she had a preference on who she would like to play in the championship. "Yeah," Staley said, "the winner of a six-overtime game starting in a few minutes."
The championship game will be at 3:00pm on Sunday.
