South Carolina women's basketball head coach Dawn Staley has always advocated for a robust and spirited style of play. However, following a recent incident during a game against Duke on Sunday, she drew a firm line against behavior that crosses into taunting.

During a press conference on Tuesday, Staley, preparing her top-ranked Gamecocks for the upcoming match against Morgan State on Wednesday, emphasized the importance of playing with toughness and aggression but without unnecessary antics.

“I’m good without all of the kisses and all of that crap. That’s not a part of who we are,” Dawn Staley said, as reported via David Cloninger of The Post and Courier. “You take that stuff away, I’m good because we play with grittiness. We play with aggressiveness.”

The incident in question occurred in a game against Duke, where a scuffle between the players escalated beyond what Staley deemed acceptable. The tension started when Chloe Kitts of South Carolina had her shot blocked by Duke’s Jadyn Donovan, leading to a heated exchange and technical fouls being issued to both teams. The situation intensified when Kitts, later in the game, blew a kiss to Donovan after scoring a jumper.

Kitts expressed regret over her actions, acknowledging that it was not in keeping with the team's standard of conduct.

“I probably shouldn’t have done it, and it probably won’t happen again,” she said.

Staley, having reviewed the incident, conveyed her disappointment and assured that such behavior would not be repeated.

“We addressed it. Our team and players apologized for reacting that way, and hopefully, we’ll display better sportsmanship when it comes to that,” Staley said.

Dawn Staley's stance is no surprise

Dawn Staley, South Carolina basketball, March Madness

This stance from Staley is not new. She consistently maintains that her team plays a physical game, a point of contention last year when UConn coach Geno Auriemma criticized the Gamecocks' style of play. Staley defended her team, insisting that physicality is a part of their game but should not lead to unsportsmanlike conduct.

“We don't want to be a team that taunts. We want to play the right way and respect our opponents and win basketball games,” Staley said, via Emily Adams of the Greenville News.

Staley's directive post-Duke game was clear: no more crossing the line. “Just being able to handle the moment in a way that we need to handle the moment. None of the extra stuff that went on in that game.”