Dawn Staley Makes Confident Prediction Ahead of Final Four Clash with Texas

Following a hard-fought victory over Duke in the Elite Eight, South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley is expressing confidence in her team’s chances against the Texas Longhorns on Friday. “We’re gonna muck it up,” Staley told a reporter in the post-game press conference after her team edged out Duke 54-50. She was referring to South Carolina’s signature defensive style, which they’ve used successfully in the Southeastern Conference.

South Carolina has faced Texas three times this season, holding a 2-1 record against them. The Longhorns secured a 66-62 win on February 9 in Austin, but the Gamecocks responded with dominant victories—67-50 on January 12 and 64-45 in the SEC Tournament Championship. At the time of the press conference, it was unclear whether South Carolina would be facing Texas or TCU, but Texas clinched their Final Four spot with a 58-47 win over TCU in the Elite Eight.

A reporter noted that South Carolina’s latest win came through a gritty defensive battle rather than an offensive showcase. When asked if that defensive intensity would benefit them in the Final Four against a more offensive-minded opponent, Staley doubled down on her strategy. “If it’s Texas, we’re gonna muck it up, just like we do in the Southeastern Conference,” she said. She also expressed hope that her team could improve offensively, saying, “I just hope that we can get our offense going a little bit… The pace will help some. But when you have two teams that really defend, it’s going to look like that.”

The Gamecocks and Longhorns will face off on Friday at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN, with the network predicting a South Carolina victory.