For the second straight year, Dawn Staley and the South Carolina Gamecocks will be in the championship game of the NCAA Final Four.

Staley and the Gamecocks accomplished the feat on Friday after beating the Texas Longhorns 74-57 in the national semifinals. It continues the Gamecocks' quest to repeat as back-to-back champions, having won the 2023 title after beating the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Staley reflected on the win after the game. She only needed two words to describe her mindset as one game remains on the team's schedule.

“One more,” Staley said.

What's next for Dawn Staley, South Carolina

Texas Longhorns head coach Vic Schaefer shakes hands with South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley during the semifinal of the women's 2025 NCAA tournament at Amalie Arena.
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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Dawn Staley has continued a dominant stretch of winning for the South Carolina Gamecocks. This latest appearance in the national championship game will mark their third in the last four seasons.

They fended off a noble effort from the Texas Longhorns, who appeared in the Final Four for the first time since 2003. The game was initially close as South Carolina only led 38-35 at halftime.

However, the Gamecocks limited their opponents to 22 points in the second half to take the momentum and secure the win. They held Texas to 39% shooting from the field and edged them 17-10 in assists.

Three players scored in double-digits for the winners. Te-Hina Paopao led the way with 14 points and three rebounds. She shot 5-of-6 from the field, including 3-of-4 from beyond the arc. Joyce Edwards came next with 13 points and 11 rebounds while Bree Hall provided 11 points.

South Carolina improved to a 35-3 overall record, having gone 15-1 in SEC Play. They average 79.7 points on 46.8% shooting overall and 34.2% from downtown. As a result, they blow out opponents by a margin of 22.3 points per game.

The Gamecocks will prepare for their final matchup of the season. They will face the UConn Huskies or UCLA Bruins for the national championship on April 6.