The South Carolina women’s basketball team and coach Dawn Staley got to experience a unique honor this Martin Luther King Jr. Day, as Vice President Kamala Harris made a special visit with the team on Monday. The meeting took place after Harris was the keynote speaker at the South Carolina NAACP's King Day at the Dome.

“Meeting Vice President Harris for the first time was royalty for me,” Staley said in a statement, via ABC News 4. “I got emotional introducing her to the Gamecock women's basketball team because she is the dream filler for those who are climbing to do the unimaginable and to sit where it's unpopular, but right. Thank you, Madam VP for inspiring us on this MLK Day.

“When VP comes to town, you stop shoot around …. Incredibly honored she made an extra stop to see us.”

The day was equally special for the Kentucky women’s basketball team, who South Carolina was scheduled to play that night in Columbia. The Wildcats also received words of encouragement from the vice president before their game with the Gamecocks.

“These days so many people feel so alone,” Harris said to the Wildcats, as reported by Caroline Makauskas of  the Lexington Herald-Leader. “The circumstances make people feel alone. And you guys know, in the way that you demonstrate it, that no matter the differences, we all have so much more in common than what separates us. You are living all those truths in one person, each of you, who make up a beautiful team.”

Kentucky’s head coach, Kyra Elzy, opened her post-game press conference with gratitude towards Staley for the opportunity to meet Harris.

“I want to acknowledge MLK Day,” Elzy said. “Amazing opportunity to be here in Columbia, South Carolina, with coach Staley on the other side, but all the things that Mr. King did for us. A great leader and the impact he had on our country. I also want to thank coach Staley today for extending the opportunity for our team to meet Vice President Harris today. When you talk about women empowerment. Yeah, that’s what I love about coach Staley. It’s bigger than basketball. To have our players be able to meet the first female vice president is something that they will remember their whole life and me too, for that matter.”