South Carolina and Dawn Staley felt the heat against Texas in the SEC Final. “A little mental fatigue, physical fatigue. But when you’re not hitting on all cylinders, like Texas, you’re going to feel it in every category,” Staley said after the 78-61 upset loss. Now, they have an opportunity to turn that loss to fuel and to do that, Staley invited her “bestfriend” Lisa Leslie. Staley is lighting the fire in her squad ahead of the big dance. 

“I wanted that to say you are around some greatness, and she’s imparting some knowledge to our bigs, just giving them a little bit of detail about just how to increase your game in a short period of time,” Staley said. “There are little things that you could add to your game today that can impact it. That’s all we want to do is give ourselves the best opportunity to win this shit.”

Leslie and Staley went 60-0 together while part of the U.S. Olympic team from 1996-2008. They learned a lot about each other and created lifelong friendships. One of the greatest players of all time, Leslie will certainly give South Carolina an added push along with the subtle techniques that might help them win. Come what may, Dawn Staley is determined to make her team play at their best. 

“Everything that we do from here on out has to help towards that goal. Everything. Every single thing that we do, everything, is mainly off the floor, mainly off the floor, Because we’re going to demand what we need to do on the floor,” Staley said.  “You’re demanding what it takes to win a national championship. Shit’s hard. It’s hard. You got to be ready to battle. You ain’t going to win all of them. You’re not going to win all of them. You just want to win the war. Your teammates should hold each other accountable to that and own that.”

The message is clear: you can take punches but don’t forget to fight back. The Texas game was underwhelming in every regard. But this team has shown in the regular season that it has what it takes to go all the way. They are third in the NET Rankings with a 12-3 quad 1 record. The Gamecocks are the third-best defense in the country and the 4th-best offense, per Barttorvik. 

On their day, Dawn Staley’s side has weapons like Madina Okot, Ta’Niya Latson, Joyce Edwards and Raven Johnson, who can blow their opponents out of the water.  Only their mental and psychological state is preventing them from doing so. Staley is ensuring they are ready for what’s to come. 

And this is not even the full extent of it, as Gamecock alum Aliyah Boston revealed what happened when the same thing happened during her time.  Starters were kicked out of the court, all they did was run, and Staley repeatedly said, “You guys, the next time you lose, you’re going home. The next time you lose, you’re going home for good for the rest of the season.” It worked as Boston and Staley won the National Championship. While Staley battles it out on the court, she is aggressive off the court as well, but for a good cause.

Dawn Staley Raises Money For South Carolina Fan’s Kidney Cancer

Dawn Staley has long been involved in helping people. From the Dawn Staley foundation to INNERSOLE, Staley has made a huge impact for people. However, along with afterschool programs for children and academic support, she is also a vocal advocate for the battle against Cancer. 

Now, Staley has publicly endorsed and spread awareness for the “Reed on 3. “Reed McLaughlin is a Gamecocks fan who is battling stage 4 kidney cancer.

“I’m here to support Reid McCaughlin in kidney cancer,” Staley said. “Anybody that is going through the process of kidney cancer, I’m here to support you.What we need to do is we got to raise money. We got to raise money to support kidney cancer research, and quickly. It’s a kidney cancer that’s not often thought about, so we’re going to raise awareness. It’s always for us, read on three. Help me out.”

So far, the family has raised $38,000 out of the $50,000. In 2024, she received the Jimmy V Award for perseverance in recognition of her unwavering commitment to fighting cancer. The battle has not stopped, as she has supported another fundraising campaign, this time for Kidney Cancer. With this, Staley is showing that she is not only connected with her players but also the fans as well.