“Just weren’t getting anything from our bigs”: $12 million worth Dawn Staley explains 4th quarter tactics in South Carolina’s upset vs Texas

Dawn Staley and the second-ranked South Carolina Gamecocks had their 17-game winning streak snapped on Sunday, losing 66-62 at the fourth-ranked Texas Longhorns in the Moody Center. They had no answer for Madison Booker, who recorded a double-double in the upset win.

The game was hanging in the balance entering the fourth quarter, with the score tied at 49-49. A reporter asked Staley in the postgame news conference about her tactics in the final period, when she utilized a four-guard lineup to counter Texas' size.

“We needed Breezy (Bree Hall) on Booker for as much as we could stay matched up on her,” Staley said (Timestamp 0:48). “So, we thought we needed to go to a small lineup. They were pretty small as well, and (we) just weren’t getting anything from our bigs.

“We were not getting a whole lot of rebounding, not really a whole lot of scoring where we felt like we can get the advantage. So, they did a really good job of covering up and being disruptive and forcing us out of our spots. So, it was a really good defensive game.”

Dawn Staley, whose net worth is $12 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth, started the fourth quarter with Sania Feagin, MiLaysia Fulwiley, Tessa Johnson, Te-Hina Paopao and Hall in her lineup. The four-guard plan didn't work out for Staley and the Gamecocks in the end, with Texas outscoring South Carolina 17-13 in the fourth quarter.

Dawn Staley's South Carolina struggles offensively in loss to Texas

The South Carolina Gamecocks entered the weekend showdown as the 13th-best scoring team in the nation, averaging 81.0 points per contest. Their offense struggled, however, against the Texas Longhorns. They scored just 62 points, which matched their season low. They previously posted that score in a loss to the top-ranked UCLA Bruins on Nov. 24.

South Carolina Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley looks to her bench during the second half of their NCAA basketball game against the Texas Longhorns at Moody Center. Photo: Imagn

The Gamecocks shot 36.8%, including 26.3% from beyond the arc. They also had difficulty making their free throws, knocking down just 15 of their 23 attempts at the charity stripe.

Only one player scored in double figures for the Gamecocks, who lost for the first time in SEC play this season. MiLaysa Fulwiley led South Carolina, scoring 13 points off the bench. She shot 4-for-9 from the field and 5-for-8 from the free-throw line. Dawn Staley's starters combined for just 34 points.