"Everyone wants to hunt the hunted": Te-Hina Paopao agrees with Dawn Staley, addresses South Carolina's attention span issue

The standout guard for the University of South Carolina, Te-Hina Paopao, spoke with Cassandra Negley of Yahoo Sports. The interview focused on the Gamecocks' strong performance this season. They also talked about the team's approach to a demanding January schedule and Paopao’s dynamic relationship with head coach Dawn Staley.

Paopao emphasized the heightened expectations that come with playing for South Carolina:

"No matter what because everyone wants to hunt South Carolina, and everyone wants to be South Carolina. So we just got to bring our A-game no matter what, no matter if it's a ranked team or not… everyone wants to hunt the hunted."

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She also pointed out areas where the team could improve:

"We got to perform at our best, and then when we don't see a number to it, we just play to the level of comp, and we have to do a better job."

As a leader, Paopao takes responsibility for holding the team accountable, emphasizing that they need to give their best effort against any opponent, regardless of rankings. Lastly, she shared:

"I have to do a better job putting my team accountable to bring their A-game"

After an early loss to top-ranked UCLA, South Carolina has bounced back remarkably. With a 16-1 record and a No. 2 national ranking, the Gamecocks set their position as a leading contender in women’s college basketball.

Te-Hina Paopao showing team effort and gaining praise from Dawn Staley

South Carolina’s defense played a pivotal role in the win against the then-No. 5 Texas Longhorns, holding Texas to just 28% shooting from the floor. Despite struggles with turnovers (20-12) and allowing 20 offensive rebounds, the Gamecocks secured a commanding 67-50 victory.

Head coach Dawn Staley praised the team’s heightened focus in these marquee games. After the win over Texas, Staley said:

"They seem to really focus in when there's a number beside our opponent. They just practice a little better, more focused, they talk less… they knew the intangibles of this game would play a huge role in us winning or losing."

South Carolina’s SEC campaign began with a statement win, an 83-52 blowout of Missouri on the road. They followed this with decisive victories over Mississippi State (95-68) and Texas A&M (90-49).

Three players currently average double figures: Joyce Edwards leads with just over 11.2 points per game, while Paopao and MiLaysia Fulwiley each contribute 11.1 and 10.7, respectively.

Chloe Kitts and Tessa Johnson contribute to the ongoing effort with 9.6 and 9.5 points, respectively. This was evident in the Texas game, where Paopao, Kitts, and Edwards all scored in double figures.

In their win against Texas, they shot an impressive 51% from the field, converting 26 of their 51 attempts. Paopao and Kitts led the scoring with 11 points each, while Raven Johnson played a key role on the boards, pulling down 10 rebounds.