What Makes Dawn Staley’s South Carolina Gamecocks an Undefeated Team So Far?

South Carolina Gamecocks mean serious business in the 2023-24 edition of the NCAA tournament. The two-time national champions have hardly shown any signs of weakness on the court throughout their campaign. The standards that Dawn Staley’s crew has set this time around are unprecedented. Moreover, no opposition has figured them out so far as their flawless play has helped them maintain a perfect 15-0 record.

Following this, popular observers of the sport are trying to analyze the mantra behind the immaculate demonstration this team has managed to put in front of us. Furthermore, how they are ruling the SEC has everyone wondering if this is the best NCAA women’s college basketball team ever.

South Carolina’s rock-solid defense mechanism

This freshman-dominant team has been one of the best offensive line-ups in the country right now. However, it’s their defense that is grabbing all the headlines. This elite unit has turned out to be one of the strongest defensive squads in modern basketball history. They gave a glimpse of their efficiency in their matchups against Presbyterian and Mississippi Valley State, where they limited them to under 30.

Moreover, against their fierce rival Clemson, they closed the game with a lofty margin of 69 points. No.10 Kamilla Cardoso has been leading the charge for them. The Brazilian Center has been a nightmare for the opposition every time she steps onto the court. So far, she has jacked 158 rebounds at an impressive rate of 10.5 per contest, which ranks her 19th overall in the country.

Meanwhile, her protégé, Ashlyn Watkins is also carving her own identity on this front. The sophomore forward is blocking 2.9 shots of her 17 minutes per game. Also, Raven Johnson and Te-Hina Paopao are combining to deliver at least 4 steals per game while their rockstar freshman MiLaysia Fulwiley currently has America’s 12th-best defensive rating.

Moreover, the team does not rely on a single player to save the day for them, but is composed of multiple match-winners.

A collective team effort

The Gamecocks have been one of the most mature and collective-minded teams this season. The team doesn’t revolve around a single player who’ll get the spotlight at the end of the night. Dawn Staley makes sure every roster in the South Carolina line-up spends at least nine minutes on the hardwood in every game.

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Although Cardoso is the only player managing a double-double in points and rebounds, six other players hold an average of a minimum of 9 points per game. Further, they are one of the top 10 teams in terms of assists averaging 19.5 per game. Seemingly, Dawn Staley’s Gamecocks comprises 9 ballers. They can distribute at least 1 assist in every fixture they are a part of. Surely, South Carolina’s boss is happy with the results that her team bears for her. She discusses the framework of the Gamecocks.

What could be Dawn Staley’s reasons for South Carolina’s success?

Head Coach Dawn Staley couldn’t be more pleased with the way her team had been performing so far. After this, she reflected on what is the reason behind their impactful performance so far in the season in a recent interview. Talking about her team, she said, “They’re creating something that we really haven’t had because they’ve got the freedom to do what they want. They still have the knowledge of discipline and how we want to play, but they’ve got the creativeness to play how it makes them feel good in a certain style.”

However, a dream team is not simply made of the players but who is standing behind them and doing the hard work in the background.

What have been the coach’s contributions?

Dawn Staley was named Naismith Coach of the Year in the women’s college basketball division I three times. This is enough proof that she can give the team what it needs to get on the top of the line, whether it is the pep talk or the guidance during practices. Further, she had built South Carolina entirely herself. After the exit of some notable players like Aliyah Boston, Zia Cooke, Brea Beal, Laeticia Amihere, and Olivia Thompson, the team gave Dawn a blank canvas to bring her inspiration to life. Surprisingly enough, she accepted this challenge and transformed an inexperienced roster into the only undefeated team in the SEC.

Undoubtedly, the current group of players is a golden generation of players in South Carolina’s history. Their impeccable record in the current season is further proof of the balance that Dawn Staley’s crew possesses. Besides, the dominance they have shown against quality sides further verifies that they have what it takes to be crowned champions this time around.

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What are your thoughts on this team? Let us know in the comments below.