Only Eight Days to Go! March 10th is here, and with just over a week until March Madness, Dawn Staley and her South Carolina squad are looking more than ready. After an 84-69 quarterfinal win over Vanderbilt, Chloe Kitts summed up her mindset perfectly: “My coaches and point guard kept saying ’14,’ which basically meant get the ball to me—and I just delivered.” That’s been the story of this Gamecocks team—depth, dominance, and a refusal to settle. But if you think Staley is satisfied, think again. She’s constantly tweaking, looking for different rotations and combinations before the big dance. And the SEC Tournament final? No exception.

At first, it looked like Texas might put up a fight. After one quarter, South Carolina held a narrow 12-10 lead. But by halftime, that lead had ballooned to 27-10. Fifteen unanswered points. Can you believe it? From there, it was all South Carolina. A 64-45 blowout. A third straight SEC Tournament title. A defensive masterclass.

Staley’s defense completely smothered Texas—holding them to just 29.6% shooting from the field and an awful 12.5% from three. They forced 18 turnovers, racked up 8 steals and 5 blocks, and made life miserable for the Longhorns. Even on the boards, South Carolina held their own, winning the rebounding battle 37-35. And when it came to dominating inside, there was no contest. SC outscored Texas 40-18 in the paint.

The 21-point lead at one point? The bench made sure Texas never even had a chance at a comeback. After the game, Staley reflected on their previous 66-62 loss to Texas earlier this season: “If you ever get a chance to go back, you just right some of the ship that needs to be righted. You get excited, so close to the goal, then something trips you up. When you’ve gone through that process, it doesn’t trip you up.”

And right the ship they did. South Carolina shut down SEC Player of the Year Madison Booker, holding her to just six first-half shots. While no other player came to the rescue, what made the matter worse was Texas coughed up 11 turnovers in the first half alone. They didn’t even get to the free throw line once and that 16-point first half marked the lowest of the season.

What else do you expect?  Texas’ 45 points tied the all-time low for an SEC championship game, a record that dates back to 1980. And honestly, it could’ve been even worse—Shay Holle’s free throw with 46 seconds left saved the Longhorns from setting the record outright.

But if you think Texas just played badly, that’s not the case. This was South Carolina’s depth at work. Tessa Johnson came off the bench and dropped 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting. Freshman Joyce Edwards added 11 points and 3 rebounds in just 22 minutes. MiLaysia Fulwiley struggled from the field (2-10 FG), but she still contributed with 5 points, 2 assists, and 2 steals—hustling on both ends. South Carolina’s bench contributed nearly 50% of their total offense, scoring 30 points. That’s depth. That’s what separates them. Now, the Gamecocks sit at an impressive 30-3 overall record, including a 15-1 mark in conference play. But Staley? Still not satisfied.

South Carolina’s dominance speaks for itself—but will the committee listen?

With March Madness around the corner, the ultimate goal is clear: a national championship. Even though they entered the SEC Tournament as the No. 5 team in the country and projected as a No. 2 seed, that ranking suddenly feels too low. Staley agrees: “When you win this tournament and play the schedule that we play, I do think we’re the No. 1 overall seed.”

And honestly? She has a point. South Carolina torched their SEC Tournament opponents by 18, 21, and 19 points. What else do they have to prove? The Gamecocks are 7-3 against Top 10 teams, with their only losses coming against No. 1 Texas, No. 3 UConn, and No. 4 UCLA.

Staley was shocked when her team entered the SEC Tournament as a No. 2 seed: “If you get so much credit for beating us, and yet when we have had some of the toughest stretches in the country and came out of it unscathed, you can’t discount that.”

And she’s not backing down. “I’m going to go down fighting for what our team earned.” She’s right. South Carolina played the toughest schedule in the country, facing 13 ranked teams—more than anyone else. Now, with the SEC title secured, the only question left is: Will the committee finally give South Carolina the respect they deserve?