Communication is everything. Just ask Dawn Staley—she’s been preaching that for years. In an exclusive interview with Finding Mastery, she once shared, “For me, communication is that some young people really don’t know how to communicate appropriately in different situations.” Her message was simple: she wants her players to express themselves, to speak up, not to hold back. Fast forward to the SEC Tournament now, and Staley might just be rethinking that philosophy—at least a little.

Well, the credit goes to Chloe Kitts, who had an impressive 25-point contribution in No. 5 South Carolina’s 84-69 win against Vanderbilt in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals. Since she held off a furious second-half rally, it wasn’t really a surprise when reporters asked her, “Chloe, can you talk about the fourth-quarter performance?”

Kitts, in a moment of confidence and honesty, did exactly what Staley encourages. She communicated. The problem? She communicated a little too much. She ended up casually revealing that SC’s “14” play meant getting the ball to her in crunch time. “My coaches and point guard kept saying 14, which is kind of get the ball to me, and I just delivered,” she shared. She may have messed up, but at least she was honest.

It took Staley’s intervention for her to realize what had went wrong.

Realizing the mistake Kitts made, Staley’s reaction was immediate—a sharp “Thanks.” When Kitts, confused, asked “What?”, Staley made it plain: “You just told them our play.” Oops. And just like that, Staley and her staff were left scrambling to adjust their play calls mid-tournament.

Communication is key, sure—but as Staley just found out, timing is everything too. Especially as she and the Gamecocks head to the SEC semifinals for the sixth straight season and the 12th time under her leadership. But the head coach didn’t forget who helped her get that win inside the bucket.

As the Gamecocks battled Vanderbilt, Chloe Kitts continued her hot streak, nabbing her third consecutive double-double with a career-high 25 points and 10 boards. She also shot 12-for-14 from the floor, highlighted by her own 7-0 run in the fourth quarter that put the Gamecocks back on top by double figures.

Despite Kitts revealing the strategy, Staley had nothing but praise for her. “When Chloe’s playing like that, we’re a real hard team to beat, and I’m proud of her,” Staley expressed when asked about Kitts’ performance. And honestly, why not? While most of South Carolina’s contributions come from the bench, Kitts—one of the starters—continues to dominate.

Even in today’s game, No. 21 for the Gamecocks played 29 minutes and led all starters. Mind you, if SC’s starters aren’t efficient, the bench would add no value to the game. So, the Gamecocks’ dominance—or one of the best benches in the nation—stems from their starters, too.

So, Staley did what she always preaches: “You’ve got to value their contributions, because if you make them feel good, they’re going to do their job at a really high (level).” Smart move! Especially when the task at hand isn’t completed just yet.

Dawn Staley’s Gamecocks have one important factor heading into March

When Staley arrived in Columbia in 2008, South Carolina had managed just two winning SEC seasons. The program was, in the words of former player Jewel May, “a doormat.” But Staley changed everything. Her disciplined approach led to the Gamecocks’ first-ever SEC title in 2014, their first Final Four the following season, and their first national championship in 2017. Now? They’re three-time national champions, off a 38-0 season last year, and a serious contender yet again.

The Secret to South Carolina’s Success? Depth. Game after game, South Carolina’s bench steps up. Against Vanderbilt, the reserves poured in 29 of the team’s 84 points, with MiLaysia Fulwiley leading the charge. Against No. 15 Kentucky, they were even more dominant, contributing 32 of 78 points—Tessa Johnson alone dropped 16 on near-perfect shooting.

Opposing coaches see it too. Arkansas head coach Mike Neighbors didn’t mince words: “It just speaks to the depth that they’ve got. And the team that I think, going into March, depth’s very, very important… I still think this is a South Carolina team everybody better look out for in tournament time.” 

With March Madness just around the corner, South Carolina is still projected as a No. 1 seed, despite recent losses to UConn and Texas. ESPN’s Charlie Creme currently has them in the Birmingham 4 Region, set to host in Columbia. A win against No. 5 Oklahoma could solidify their spot at the top, but an early SEC Tournament exit could make things complicated. What do you think will happen?