Dawn Staley explains what it took for South Carolina to beat Texas: "We use it to our advantage"

Dawn Staley led the South Carolina Gamecocks to their ninth overall and third straight SEC Championship on Sunday (under her tenure) after they exacted revenge against the Texas Longhorns, who had beaten them in the regular season.

The Gamecocks, who lost 66-62 on Feb. 9 against Texas, cruised to a 64-45 win, thanks to Chloe Kitts, the game MVP, who had 15 points, nine rebounds and three assists.

Staley, who knows what it takes to win big games with a battle-hardened team, credited her team’s experience as the deciding factor.

"Well, it took one experience," she said. "I think most of our players have been in this situation before at one time or another. We played on the biggest stage last year in a national championship game. So, I think when you have that, when you have experienced players playing this game, we use it to our advantage.

"I thought the crowd was great. I thought our execution was great. I thought our will to win was great. And we beat a really good Texas team. And I'm super proud of our players. You beat three really good teams in a row in three days," Staley added.

The Gamecocks showcased championship mentality throughout the SEC tournament, capping it off on Sunday, after beating Vanderbilt and Oklahoma in the quarterfinal and semifinal, respectively.

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Dawn Staley's comments before entering NCAA Tournament as defending champions

Now, that the conference hurdle is cleared, the Gamecocks will look toward the upcoming NCAA Tournament to defend their title.

When asked about March Madness expectations following three back to back victories, Dawn Staley said:

"Well, I think we're playing our best basketball. I don't know what statement can be made because there are so many great teams out there. Parody is real in women's basketball. But I know I feel good about where we are. I feel good about some of our individual players. And I know I feel good about collectively as a team."

One of Staley's biggest assets during the SEC Tournament was junior forward Chloe Kitts. In the SEC Tournament opener against Vanderbilt, she connected 12-of-14 shots for career-high 25 points. In the semifinal against Oklahoma, she scored 10 points.

Dawn Staley will depend on her quality and efficiency with the ball to ensure a deep run in the upcoming March Madness action.