USC vs. Oregon in women’s basketball? It’s in the works, Dawn Staley says
The coronavirus robbed the No. 1 South Carolina women’s basketball team of a possible NCAA tournament matchup with No. 2 Oregon. But the two teams might open the season against each other in the upcoming season, according to USC women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley.
Speaking on “WIS-TV Today” on Monday, Staley said there are ongoing talks of the Gamecocks traveling to Oregon for the first game of the 2020-21 season.
Oregon coach Kelly Graves also mentioned scheduling South Carolina on the Inside Pac-12 Women’s Basketball podcast last month.
“We are trying. We don’t have the paperwork yet and I’m probably speaking a little bit too soon but … we’re going to try and open the season playing at Oregon, to open the women’s basketball season,” said Staley, who was celebrating her 50th birthday Monday. “Hopefully that takes place. Hopefully we get the contracts in. I know our fans are excited about that.”
South Carolina and Oregon finished 1-2 in the final postseason rankings. Heading into the NCAA tournament, the Gamecocks were unanimously expected to be the No. 1 overall seed. Many observers and fans expected them to meet No. 2 Oregon, led by national player of the year Sabrina Ionescu, in the national championship.
ESPN has the Gamecocks in the top spot in its Way Too Early Top 25 poll for 2020-21. USC will lose seniors Tyasha Harris and Mikiah Herbert Harrigan but return a strong core of players, including Aliyah Boston. The freshman averaged 12.5 points and 9.4 rebounds a game last season. The Gamecocks also return Zia Cooke, Brea Beal, Destanni Henderson and LeLe Grissett.
Staley was on the Columbia TV program to promote Monday night’s SEC Network documentary, “For The Culture.” The program airs Monday at 9 p.m. The documentary provides a glimpse into how their leadership, talent and chemistry came together for a magical season that was left unfinished by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Staley said the documentary was born in part because of the disrespect from national media and pundits that she felt that went on with her team this season despite the Gamecocks’ record-breaking year.
“We are just one of the stories. There are too many stories all season long that we miss because of that same narrative in women’s basketball,” Staley said. “I really got sick and tired of it. It was that day and what we didn’t get all season long.”
This story was originally published May 4, 2020 at 11:02 AM with the headline "USC vs. Oregon in women’s basketball? It’s in the works, Dawn Staley says."
