Dawn Staley Had Classy Message for Fans After South Carolina's Win Over Duke

The defending-champion Gamecocks rallied late in the fourth quarter for a 54–50 win on Sunday.

Dawn Staley is going to her fifth straight Final Four after South Carolina's victory over Duke on Sunday. / Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

Dawn Staley is heading back to a familiar place as she and the South Carolina Gamecocks punched their ticket to a fifth straight trip to the Final Four with a hard-fought, 54-50, victory over the Duke Blue Devils on Sunday.

South Carolina, which beat Caitlin Clark's Iowa team in the national championship game last year, had to rally late in the fourth quarter to beat a very tough Duke team that excelled on the defensive end of the floor.

Staley has led South Carolina to three national titles and will be looking to add her fourth next week in Tampa. On Sunday she took a moment after the final whistle to praise the crowd in Birmingham.

“You made us feel special," Staley said. "You put women’s basketball on the map…if y’all get the bid again I hope we are here.”

Dawn Staley addresses the crowd after @GamecockWBB makes the Final Four pic.twitter.com/O7kTZRb6AQ

— Matt Dowell (@MattDowellTV) March 30, 2025

Next up for South Carolina will be the winner of Monday night's Texas-TCU game.

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