Dawn Staley, South Carolina women’s basketball ‘locked in’ ahead of rematch vs. Texas

No. 2 South Carolina women’s basketball enters Wednesday night’s matchup against No. 4 Texas women’s basketball fully aware of the stakes, but coach Dawn Staley said her team remains focused on the task immediately in front of it.

“I did mention it. I mentioned it after our last game. Just the ramifications of wins and losses and tiebreakers and all of that,” Staley said, as reported by David Cloninger of The Post and Courier. “So, yes, a little bit, but I don’t think they’re tuned into that right now.

“They’re really locked into the game.”

While a South Carolina win would provide a critical SEC tiebreaker against Texas, with the Longhorns already having one league loss, Staley focused on preparation over standings. The SEC race remains crowded, with Tennessee and Vanderbilt also undefeated in conference play and 11 games still remaining after Wednesday.

The Gamecocks enter the matchup at 4-0 in the SEC and 17-1 overall, chasing a fifth straight regular-season conference title. They will face a Texas team that defeated South Carolina 66-64 in the Players Era Championship title game in November, a game decided by a buzzer-beater from Rori Harmon.

Gamecocks sophomore Joyce Edwards said the rematch comes at a different point in the season.

“When we played them originally, they were new, we were new, especially with all our transfers and freshmen coming in,” Edwards said. “So, I feel like we’re just putting stuff together game by game and getting better.”

Staley said both teams have evolved since then.

“I think we are both two different teams, meaning we’re sharper in certain areas,” she said. “I think when you come in these basketball games, it takes on its own identity.”

The game tips off at 7 p.m. ET Wednesday at Colonial Life Arena.

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