"I don't even have thick enough skin to do their job": Dawn Staley clears the air on animated conversation with officials in Sweet 16 win

Dawn Staley cleared the air on her animated conversation with the referees in South Carolina's win over Maryland in the Sweet 16 of the 2025 NCAA Tournament on Friday.

A reporter asked Staley how she would assess the officiating in the Gamecocks' 71-67 victory and how it impacted the game flow of their March Madness showdown against the Terrapins. The South Carolina coach refused to blame the officials with her response, acknowledging the difficulty of their profession instead.

"I mean the officials have a hard job," Staley said (Timestamp 14:05). "Like they got a really hard job. I don’t even have thick enough skin to do their job. The animation was probably more [like] we have a jokingly conversation rather than really a heated conversation."

Staley then praised the referees for how they handled the coaches' reactions to some of their calls.

"They were really good at just communicating out there on the floor and that’s why they’re officiating in the Sweet 16, and probably some of them on their way to the Final Four."

"Because they’re able to handle those type of situations, communicate with the coaches in a way that just really deescalates the situation."

Dawn Staley later explained that referees have to do that because they are being graded as well with their officiating, with job assignments in the latter stages of the NCAA Tournament on the line for them.

MiLaysia Fulwiley and Chloe Kitts step up for Dawn Staley in Sweet 16 win over Maryland

Dawn Staley and the top-seeded South Carolina Gamecocks had to work hard for their win against the fourth-seeded Maryland Terrapins, who grabbed a 60-59 lead with 3:25 remaining in the final quarter.

MiLaysia Fulwiley and Chloe Kitts stepped up when their team needed them the most, scoring all of South Carolina's points in a key 7-0 run to help the Gamecocks claim a 66-60 advantage with 34 seconds remaining. The Terrapins failed to erase that deficit as the Gamecocks secured an Elite Eight showdown with the second-seeded Duke Blue Devils.

Chloe Kitts (#21) of the South Carolina Gamecocks reacts with teammate MiLaysia Fulwiley (#12) during the second half against the Maryland Terrapins in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Legacy Arena at the BJCC on March 28, 2025 in Birmingham, Alabama. Photo: Getty

MiLaysia Fulwiley finished the game with 23 points on 9-for-17 shooting. The sophomore guard also had five boards, three dimes and one block in 21 minutes of action. It was the fourth time this season that Fulwiley has scored at least 20 points in a game. Chloe Kitts also delivered for Dawn Staley, posting a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds.