"We're a great team, don't forget that" - MiLaysia Fulwiley bullish on South Carolina as Gamecocks aim for back-to-back national titles

South Carolina guard MiLaysia Fulwiley led the Gamecocks to the Southeastern Conference Tournament championship when the No. 1-seeded Gamecocks beat the No. 2-seeded Texas Longhorns 64-45 on Sunday evening. The teams have clashed three times this season, with the Gamecocks winning 67-50 in Columbia in January before suffering a 66-62 loss in Texas last month.

During her postgame news conference, the outgoing Fulwiley, who registered five points, three rebounds and two assists in the game, had a warning for South Carolina's detractors, who had ranked the Longhorns as favorites for the clash.

"That we're really No. 1," Fulwiley said. "Seriously, though, I feel like a lot of people counted us out because we took some Ls, but we're a great team, don't forget that.

"I feel like when we played at Texas, we were kind of down, we played bad, but we still only lost by four. So that shows how good of a basketball team we are. I feel like the outsiders are trying to find any reason to put us down. Or like, I think they're honestly just tired of us being on top, really. So just to come out here and execute our coach's game plan, it means a lot to us."

MiLaysia Fulwiley tabbed as a "generational talent"

Alongside freshman Joyce Edwards, MiLaysia Fulwiley has been the driving force behind the rebuilt South Carolina Gamecocks team this season that has emerged as the dominant force in the SEC once again.

During her postgame news conference after the Gamecocks had beaten the Vanderbilt Commodores in the SEC quarterfinals, the ever-supportive South Carolina coach Dawn Staley had high praise for Fulwiley.

"MiLaysia Fulwiley is a talent, she's a generational talent," Staley said (11:00). "When I say that, it's because she can do things on a basketball court that I haven't seen a female do. And she consistently does it. When she's got it going on, again she pushes tempo where her speed is her superpower. No one on the court can keep in front of her when she's got it going on.

"When her 3s are falling, when she's just able to creatively put on her talent. She gets a little hyper with it, she gets a little degree of difficulty when it's not called for. I just wanna add that sometimes a simple pass will do and in some instances and sometimes the behind-the-back pass, that was the only pass that she could deliver the ball."

MiLaysia Fulwiley is averaging 12.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists this season and will be key to the South Carolina Gamecocks pursuit of a repeat national championship later this month.