Coach Reveals How She Prepares Players for Pressure and Why This Team Hasn’t Peaked Yet
South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley didn’t sugarcoat what her team faced against Texas. From relentless full-court pressure to late-game adversity, the Gamecocks were tested in every way — and, as Staley put it, they survived by making plays when it mattered most.
According to On3, Staley’s postgame comments painted a clear picture of a game that demanded poise, toughness, and belief.
After South Carolina’s hard-fought 68-65 victory over #4 Texas, Dawn Staley opened up about the following:
Cracking Texas’s Relentless Pressure
Texas’s full-court press created chaos all night, forcing 20 South Carolina turnovers. When asked what made it so effective, Staley didn’t mince words.
“They’re disruptive. They dictate, they make it hard for you to catch. Their man-to-man press, they top you, they make you make the perfect pass for 40 minutes,” she explained. “I didn’t think they were gonna press us as much as they did because they alleviated some of that pressure when we played them the first time, but they kept on.”
The solution wasn’t just drilling press-breakers in practice. “You’d have to be able to just make plays in that moment because they take away your first and your second option. So you got to get a little bit deeper into what you’re doing and stay poised,” Staley said.
She valued the experience for her newcomers: “It’s good to experience it because the next time, maybe we won’t have as many turnovers… They wanted to win. They knew how important this game was, and so did we. It was a knockout drag out. It was as advertised.”
The “Next Play” Philosophy
One of Staley’s most revealing moments came when discussing how she prepares players navigating mental struggles—specifically Madina Okot, who hit the game-changing three-pointer despite battling confidence issues.
“I believe the more mentally prepared individuals are, bad plays don’t bother them long,” Staley said. “We have somebody like Madina, who’s going through it mentally. Physically, look at her. I mean, she is female Adonis, right?”
Staley’s pregame message to Okot was simple but powerful: “No matter what the game looks like, you turn the ball over, you take a rushed shot, you miss, whatever it is, I yell at you. Next play. It’s going to happen… You got to keep repeating it, next play.”
The coach emphasized fighting through adversity: “Once you don’t wallow in it, find your way out of it. Fight your way out of it. She got great teammates constantly talking to her, but until she gets there for herself, we got to continue to support her. And once she does, I think we’re going to be a better team but she also needs to see, even while she’s going through it, we’re still winning basketball games.”
Freshman Reliability: Agot Makeer Steps Up
Staley praised freshman Agot Makeer’s impactful performance despite limited minutes, calling her “reliable”—a significant word for a first-year player.
“She’s been through some things. She’s gotten experience, like really great game experience,” Staley said. “I’m proud of her, because probably maybe a month or two ago, she probably thought she would never play… The time that she was on the floor, she really made it impactful.”
As for the “My Favorite Coach is Dawn Staley” shirts her staff wore? Staley supported a vendor starting his business: “I told him, ‘We’re wearing these shirts. You have to restock, because Gamecock nation is real.'”
A Different Team Than Last Year
Comparing this squad to last season’s undefeated champions, Staley noted key differences in offensive firepower.
“Last year’s team, we probably didn’t have five players on the court that actually could score consistently. These players have consistently done it,” she explained. “We do have a lot more people that can score the ball, even coming off the bench. So it’s something that we really haven’t played our best basketball yet, and I hope it’s coming.”
Will to Win
When asked about the team’s fight, Staley credited collective effort: “When it really comes down to it, it is about making plays. I thought Joyce (Edwards) got some key offensive rebounds, some key tie-ups. It is those plays that really are game changing.”
She also praised the home crowd: “They wouldn’t let up and they also willed us to a win.”
South Carolina (18-1, 5-0 SEC) continues its campaign Sunday at Coppin State.
Source: On3
