WATCH: South Carolina HC Dawn Staley's dog 'Champ' joins press conference - "He's not answering any questions"

A special guest accompanied Dawn Staley, the head coach of South Carolina (33-0), to a press conference on Saturday. It was none other than Staley's dog Champ.

No. 1 South Carolina is all set to face No. 8 North Carolina (20-12) in the second round of the NCAA tournament. Ahead of the game, Staley brought her pet Champ, who lounged comfortably on the dais when the coach spoke.

A reporter said he had a handful of questions for Champ when Staley joked that he can't answer until he gets a nameplate.

"Until he gets a nameplate, he's not answering any questions," Dawn Staley answered.

Champ, who has over 11,000 followers on social media, is a beloved figure among South Carolina fans. He is a Havanese with a coat of black and gray.

Staley decided to get him after the Gamecocks emerged victorious in the national championship in 2017. Champ is often seen accompanying Staley at press conferences after home games in South Carolina.

While Staley was discussing the impressive progress of senior guard Te-Hina Paopao in her debut season at South Carolina, Champ suddenly sat up. He directed his attention towards the door of the press room, letting out a bark that caught Staley off guard.

Dawn Staley speaks about South Carolina's preparation

The No. 1 South Carolina Gamecocks have dominated the NCAA season and are still undefeated.

Coach Dawn Staley talked about the divine favor of her top-seeded team, which comes as the result of preparation.

"Sometimes the basketball gods favor that, Preparation has allowed us to get lucky sometimes," Staley said ahead of the Gamecocks' first-round NCAA tournament game (via ESPN).

She explained that her players perform without any expectations. Yet they're victorious, which is the result of their hard preparation.

"I think our players play free. They play as if there are no consequences, and that's a gift and a curse for someone like me," said Staley via ESPN.

Evidence of this came during the semifinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament. South Carolina's senior center, Kamilla Cardoso, managed to secure a thrilling victory for her team. She banked a 3-pointer at the buzzer, resulting in a narrow 74-73 win over Tennessee. It was her first 3-point shot in three seasons with the Gamecocks.