ALBANY, N.Y. — South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley has walked a fine line this season between instilling confidence in her players and being realistic about challenges the Gamecocks have faced after losing six key players — five of them starters — from last year.
Which is why, despite being undefeated and a victory away from the program’s fourth consecutive women’s Final Four appearance, Staley said Saturday, “I’m worried every day. Every day. Every single day. They’re still very young. They’ve had young moments. They’ve had mature moments. They’ve had questionable moments.
“But we sit here where we are. I don’t lose sight of not giving them the credit that they deserve being in this place. We’re a really good basketball team that can have some moments.”
South Carolina, 35-0 and the No. 1 overall seed, faces No. 3 seed Oregon State in the Albany 1 Regional final Sunday (1 p.m. ET, ABC) to secure a trip to Cleveland for the national semifinals. It would be the sixth Final Four appearance for the Gamecocks,…
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