Dawn Staley makes her feelings known on MiLaysia Fulwiley playing limited minutes in South Carolina March Madness win

South Carolina’s sophomore sensation, MiLaysia Fulwiley, has been a key contributor for Dawn Staley this season, averaging 19.3 minutes per game. However, during Sunday’s NCAA Tournament second-round matchup against No. 9 seed Indiana, Fulwiley saw a reduction in her playing time.

The sophomore logged only 10 minutes on the court. Despite limitations, South Carolina managed to secure a 64-53 victory. The decision to keep Fulwiley on the bench for the majority of the game raised eyebrows, as it marked her third-lowest minutes total of the season.

The only other times she played fewer than 17 minutes came against Tennessee on January 27, when she recorded just nine minutes. South Carolina coach Dawn Staley addressed the situation in the postgame presser.

"I thought she got off to a slow start, then it was hard," she said. "We had good combinations in and usually it's Fulwiley out there. It just didn't happen today. I thought she handled it well. She wants to play, we need her to play, we need her to play well, and it wasn't anything besides just units out there playing better."

"And it wasn't anything besides just units out there playing better. Your defense able to spark so much of that."

Despite her limited minutes, Fulwiley still managed to make an impact when she was on the court. She contributed three points, two steals, one rebound, one block, and one assist.

She first checked in with 4:16 remaining in the first quarter and made an immediate defensive play. This helped her secure a steal within 30 seconds of entering the game.

Dawn Staley's South Carolina advances to the Sweet 16

Fulwiley remained on the floor in the first quarter, picking up another steal, an assist, and a block. But after committing a turnover early in the second quarter, she was subbed out and did not return until late in the third.

During that time, South Carolina guards Bree Hall and Te-Hina Paopao stepped up together. Hall finished with a team-high 11 points, while Paopao delivered a standout defensive performance, with four blocks.

With the win, South Carolina advances to the Sweet 16. That's exactly where they will face either No. 4 seed Maryland or No. 5 seed Alabama on Friday in Birmingham, Alabama.