Dawn Staley was gracious in defeat after South Carolina got blown out by UCLA, 79-51, in the national title game of the NCAA Women's Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center on Sunday.
Staley admitted that UCLA outworked them throughout the contest, while also lamenting South Carolina's lack of execution. She tipped his hat to the Bruins, acknowledging that “they were the better team.”
Fans rued the absence of Chloe Kitts, who missed the entire season after suffering an ACL injury in October. Kitts was one of the Gamecocks' top options last year, averaging 10.2 points and 7.7 rebounds.
While she definitely could have helped South Carolina, Staley said they did not think of her during the entire campaign, as quoted by Greenville News' Tia Reid.
“You want me to be honest? I said this before, but don't take it literally. When we knew we weren't going to have Chloe Kitts, we considered her dead. We don't bring it up. She can't help us. She's not a part of our team in terms of preparation and being on the floor,” shared Staley.
“She was in other areas where she would talk to the players and help them out. But when it comes to just game preparation, we just didn't bring her name up once we knew she wasn't able to play.”
With the 21-year-old forward out of commission, the Gamecocks relied on Joyce Edwards, Tessa Johnson, Ta'Niya Latson, and Agot Makeer. Johnson and Latson were named to the Final Four All-Tournament Team.
Staley has confirmed that Kitts will return next year for her fourth season. Clearly, it is good news for the Gamecocks, who are hoping to make another run to the national title game.
“The trick is to continue to get here. The more you get here, the more you increase your chances of winning. We got a lot of work cut out for us. I really enjoyed the weekend. I enjoy every challenge that basketball creates. I enjoy facing them. I enjoy dealing, playing the hand that I'm dealt,” added Staley.
