The South Carolina Gamecocks crushed the Southern Jaguars 103-34 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Dawn Staley’s team will face the USC Trojans in the second round.
Gamecocks legend and former NCAA champion Zia Cooke was at the Colonial Life Arena to witness South Carolina advance to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament. Reporter Matt Dowell caught up with her to discuss the Gamecocks’ season.
During the conversation, Cooke warned the Gamecocks not to lose focus, as it is expected of them to reach at least the Final Four. She highlighted veterans and freshmen on the team and how nervous it can be when going down the floor of the NCAA Tournament.
“I think probably just staying focused, especially when you’re playing teams you’re projected to beat,” Cooke said. “It’s about making sure you play at a high level because, at the end of the day, there’s an end goal, which is the Final Four. So I know for sure when I was playing, we had to tell ourselves to stay focused, keep the main thing the main thing, and look at every opponent the same. There are players on this team like Raven who have been here so many times. Then, of course, there are freshmen like Isla and Nagat who are doing this for the first time.”
Having played for South Carolina from 2019 to 2023, Cooke made several trips to the NCAA Tournament and knows all too well the pressure of living up to expectations. The Gamecocks have lost only three games in the season and are a contender to return to the national championship game.
Dawn Staley’s Gamecocks’ Second-Round Opponent in NCAA Tournament
After easily defeating the Southern Jaguars, the Gamecocks have advanced to the second round, where they’ll face the USC Trojans (No. 9 seed).
The Trojans defeated the Clemson Tigers in a controversial game that saw Mia Moore’s game-winning 3-pointer canceled, sending the game to overtime, where freshman Jazzy Davidson turned the game in favor of USC.
Staley and the rest of the Gamecocks will have their work cut out when they host the Trojans at Colonial Life Arena on Monday.
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