DALLAS — South Carolina coach Dawn Staley won her first national championship Sunday night with a 67-55 victory over Mississippi State at the American Airlines Center.
In 2020, Staley hopes to win her first Olympic gold medal as a coach. She will replace UConn coach Geno Auriemma as head coach of the U.S. women’s national team at the Tokyo Olympics.
Staley, who won three gold medals as a player, has parlayed that experience at South Carolina. She has taken a once-dormant program and turned it into a school ready to raise its first national championship banner.
On Sunday, with America watching on ESPN and another 20,000 fans in the stands, Staley thanked God first because this has never been about her.
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1of21South Carolina coach Dawn Staley cuts down the net as she and the team celebrate their win over Mississippi State in the final of NCAA women's Final Four college basketball tournament, Sunday, April 2, 2017, in Dallas. South Carolina won 67-55. (AP Photo/LM Otero)LM Otero / Associated PressShow MoreShow Less2of21
South Carolina forward A'ja Wilson (22) makes a face after cutting off a piece of the net following the team's 67-55 win over Mississippi State in the NCAA women's college basketball tournament Final Four championship game in Dallas, Sunday, April 2, 2017. (Richard W. Rodriguez/Star-Telegram via AP)
South Carolina Gamecocks forward A'ja Wilson (22) holds the trophy after South Carolina defeated Mississippi State 67-55 to win the NCAA Women's Basketball Championship on Sunday, April 2, 2017 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. (Richard W. Rodriguez/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/TNS)
DALLAS, TX - APRIL 02: A'ja Wilson #22 and head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks hold the NCAA trophy and celebrates with their team after winning the championship game against the Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs of the 2017 NCAA Women's Final Four at American Airlines Center on April 2, 2017 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
South Carolina's Kaela Davis and Allisha Gray celebrate with A'ja Wilson, right, after the team's 67-55 win over Mississippi State in the NCAA women's college basketball tournament Final Four championship game in Dallas, Sunday, April 2, 2017. (Richard W. Rodriguez/Star-Telegram via AP)
DALLAS, TX - APRIL 02: Roshunda Johnson #11 of the Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs comforts her teammate Morgan William #2 as their team losses to the South Carolina Gamecocks during the championship game of the 2017 NCAA Women's Final Four at American Airlines Center on April 2, 2017 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
DALLAS, TX - APRIL 02: Memebers of the media photograph the South Carolina Gamecocks celebration after they defeated the Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs to win the championship game of the 2017 NCAA Women's Final Four at American Airlines Center on April 2, 2017 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
DALLAS, TX - APRIL 02: Roshunda Johnson #11 of the Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs comforts her teammate Morgan William #2 as their team losses to the South Carolina Gamecocks during the championship game of the 2017 NCAA Women's Final Four at American Airlines Center on April 2, 2017 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
DALLAS, TX - APRIL 02: Doniyah Cliney #4 and Allisha Gray #10 of the South Carolina Gamecocks react during the second half against the Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs in the championship game of the 2017 NCAA Women's Final Four at American Airlines Center on April 2, 2017 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
DALLAS, TX - APRIL 02: The South Carolina Gamecocks pose for photos with after winning the championship game of the 2017 NCAA Women's Final Four against the Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs at American Airlines Center on April 2, 2017 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
15of2116of21South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley waves her pieces of the net after her team beat Mississippi State 67-55 to win the NCAA Women's Basketball Championship on Sunday, April 2, 2017 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. (Richard W. Rodriguez/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/TNS)Richard W. Rodriguez/TNSShow MoreShow Less17of21South Carolina's A'ja Wilson (22) has a smile almost as big as the trophy that was awarded to the Bulldogs for defeating Mississippi State and winning the NCAA women's basketball championship Sunday.Eric Gay/STFShow MoreShow Less
18of2119of21DALLAS, TX - APRIL 02: A'ja Wilson #22 of the South Carolina Gamecocks cuts down the net after her teams championship win over the Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs after the championship game of the 2017 NCAA Women's Final Four at American Airlines Center on April 2, 2017 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)Ron Jenkins/Getty ImagesShow MoreShow Less20of21South Carolina’s A'ja Wilson drives to the basket between Mississippi State guard Jazzmun Holmes (10) and center Teaira McCowan (15) during the national championship game Sunday in Dallas.Tony Gutierrez / Associated PressShow MoreShow Less
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Just ask the best player in Dallas.
“I really can’t put it into words how much it means to win this game for coach after all she’s done for us,” said A’ja Wilson, the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four. “It means something very special to bring this back home for such a special person as Coach Staley.”
For most of this past week, it was nearly 80 degrees and sunny in Dallas.
On Sunday, the Gamecock mascot sprawled across the court and made snow angels in golden flakes of confetti. The ring will come later.
No second act for William
After ending UConn’s season with an overtime buzzer-beater Friday night, Mississippi State’s Morgan William was neutralized by South Carolina.
William, nicknamed “Itty Bitty” by local fans, struggled to get her shots off the way she did against the Huskies.
There was a big reason for that Sunday — South Carolina had already beaten Mississippi State twice during the regular season in the Southeastern Conference.
William finished with a larger-than-life 13 points and six assists gainst UConn, but just eight points in 23 minutes — and only one foul — aginst the Gamecocks.
This wasn’t about foul trouble. It was about a 5-foot-5 guard matching up against 6-2 guards from the Gamecocks.
”South Carolina is really good defensively,” Mississippi State coach Vic Schaefer said. “They played really hard against us ... We were a half-step late all day.”
Live by the spurt, die by it
Mississippi State opened an early 29-13 gash on the scoreboard in its 66-64 semifinal victory over UConn.
The opening barrage set the tone, and ultimately, set the stage for the Bulldogs to reach the national championship game.
But against South Carolina, the team that had already figured out the Bulldogs, Mississippi State found itself on the wrong side of the equation Sunday.
South Carolina grabbed a 31-18 lead out of the gate and turned back the Bulldogs every time, even as they closed to four points in the second half.
It was no different Jan. 23 in a 64-61 loss to the Gamecocks in Starkville, Miss. It was more of the same March 5 in a 69-59 loss to South Carolina in the SEC tournament.
