GREENVILLE, S.C.– South Carolina instructor Dawn Staley does not assume anybody needs to review excessive right into UConn falling short to progress to the Last 4 for the very first time considering that 2007 as a precursor of points to find.
Throughout her press conference prior to her group’s Elite 8 competition versus Maryland on Sunday, Staley stated the only actual importance to UConn’s surprising 73-61 loss to Ohio State in the Sugary Food 16 in Seattle on Saturday is that “the touch mores than.”
” UConn is mosting likely to remain to be UConn,” Staley stated. “They’re mosting likely to refill. If you see their lineup that’s can be found in as well as that they’re restoring following year, they’ll refill. They’ll begin a brand-new touch.
” I do not assume any one of us that’s beyond UConn, we’re not panicking. They’re mosting likely to be that they are. They’re mosting likely to constantly– you obtain a possibility to defeat UConn, it’s constantly mosting likely to be a big win for you as well as your program.”
South Carolina beat UConn 64-49 in the championship game video game a year ago to win its 2nd title in 6 years. Previously this year, the Gamecocks won the rematch 81-77 in Hartford as well as are currently resting at 35-0, attempting to ferret out background of their very own on their pursuit momentarily straight title as well as unbeaten period.
The Gamecocks would certainly be the 10th group to end up a period unbeaten in NCAA background, however it would certainly be the very first in program background. 4 institutions have actually completed a period unbeaten– a tremendous 6 by UConn alone.
However also prior to the Sugary food 16 loss, there were some concerns concerning whether the UConn empire had actually started to reveal splits. UConn has actually won 11 championship games, however its newest title remained in 2016. This was the earliest UConn has actually been removed from the NCAA competition considering that 2005.
Staley, for one, is not encouraged that this implies UConn has actually dropped back. Particularly considering that the Huskies took care of injuries throughout the training course of this period, consisting of shedding All-American Paige Bueckers to an ACL injury.
” It’s not over,” Staley stated. “It’s a terrifying point due to the fact that they shed a great deal even more video games than they usually shed. However they were hindered by injuries, as well as as soon as they obtain healthy and balanced, once they obtain Paige back, as soon as this year’s recruiting course has the ability to play as well as that they’ll generate, it’s back to the attracting board.”
Though UConn was not a No. 1 seed in this competition, its loss has actually opened the door for a brand-new group to make it to the Last 4. Ohio State goes on to play Virginia Technology in the Elite 8 on Monday. Virginia Technology has actually never ever made it to the Last 4. Ohio State has actually made the Last 4 as soon as, in 1993. Without the Huskies using, Staley was asked whether there will certainly be a chance to expand the ladies’s university basketball target market much more with brand-new groups invited right into the mix.
” When you shed UConn, you shed component of an area of the nation that appreciates enjoying UConn, their prominence,” Staley stated. “However the video game has actually expanded. Not simply this year as well as not even if UConn is no more in the competition. We remain in need.
” There are numerous fantastic stories, numerous fantastic gamers, numerous fantastic trains, numerous fantastic stories that we have the ability to hold our very own also if UConn is not a component of[it] They’ll still belong of it. When this advancements, we’re mosting likely to have a UConn tale. They’re not below; where are they? It’s simply mosting likely to belong of the story of our video game. Rightfully so, due to the fact that they have actually been leading for years. As well as we require to do a far better task not with simply UConn. All the groups that have actually been leading, we require to speak about them as component of our ladies’s basketball background. This is a brand-new background that we’re venturing right into due to the fact that there are numerous fantastic gamers as well as parity that we require to begin recording.”
