"Don't want to get sentimental right now": Dawn Staley holds back her feelings as best South Carolina recruiting class nears graduation

During the pregame media session on Friday, Dawn Staley claimed that the South Carolina senior class has been the most successful in the program's history. They have won two national championships, three SEC regular season titles and two SEC tournament championships.

On Sunday, the No. 6 Gamecocks added another regular season title with a 78-66 victory over No. 15 Kentucky. In the postgame interview, a reporter recalled Staley's earlier comments about this year's senior class and asked what it meant to send them out as Southeastern Conference champions.

"They have formed a bond and a great friendship that created great chemistry and wins," Staley said (6:06 onwards). "To hear the crowd pour into our players – and specifically, our seniors – the way that they did means that there’s a really great relationship between the two."

She continued:

"So, for them to go out in front of them with an SEC regular season championship on the line means it’s only fitting that they go out as winners here on this floor. So, kudos to them. We got a lot of basketball left — don’t want to get sentimental right now. But they have been, truly, remarkable for our program."

Seniors — Raven Johnson, Bree Hall and Sania Feagin — were honored before tipoff on Sunday at Colonial Life Arena. Dawn Staley hopes that the young class of South Carolina players, led by MiLaysia Fulwiley and Tessa Johnson, will continue the winning tradition and even surpass the achievements of their predecessors.

Dawn Staley wins coin flip, South Carolina earns No. 1 seed

It was not guaranteed that the regular season winner would earn the top seed in the SEC Tournament as two teams were tied for the conference title — South Carolina (27-3, 15-1) and Texas (29-2, 15-1).

While the teams share the regular season championship, the coin flip determined the No. 1 seed. SEC commissioner Greg Sankey conducted the coin flip during the Ole Miss-LSU matchup on Thursday.

"It was kind of exciting," Staley said after the flip. "The build-up was good. I know when you're part of the equation, it doesn't feel good to have your fate in a coin toss and I didn't know that eight other sports use a coin flip. That was news to me. I feel a little better about it now."

Dawn Staley's Gamecocks emerged victorious from the coin toss and will head into the tournament as No. 1 seed. South Carolina will play their first SEC Tournament game on Friday in the quarterfinals.