Dawn Staley Makes All-Time Admission About Raven Johnson After Beating LSU

South Carolina coach Dawn Staley gave the highest possible praise to senior point guard Raven Johnson after defeating LSU.

Apr 6, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley hugs guard Raven Johnson (25) during the second half of the national championship of the women's 2025 NCAA tournament at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

South Carolina coach Dawn Staley picked up her 500th win with the program in a 79-72 victory over LSU. It was also her 18th straight win as Gamecocks coach against the Tigers.

Staley is no stranger to winning at the highest level, which includes three national championships during her tenure at South Carolina. But of course, in order to succeed at such a rate, any coach needs top talent, and Staley has had plenty of standout players over the years—a list that includes the likes of now WNBA stars A'ja Wilson and Aliyah Boston.

This is why a comment she made about one of her current players after beating LSU was perhaps the highest possible praise imaginable.

When asked about senior point guard Raven Johnson on the ESPN set following the win, Staley had this to say.

"Raven Johnson is a winner. Look it up in the dictionary, look it up on your iPhones, Raven Johnson is a winner. She makes winning plays. And she did that tonight. Sealed the deal with the free throws. Just proud of her."

The South Carolina coach then went on to make an all-time admission about her star guard.

"Raven Johnson is a winner ... she's probably the one I'll miss the most."

Dawn Staley, after her 500th win with @GamecockWBB had high praise for her point guard Raven Johnson, who finished with 19 PTS, 7 REB & 6 AST in the #Gamecocks 79-72 win over LSU.

📹: @CollegeGameDay pic.twitter.com/hlBoBoEfe2

— Noah Chast (@NoahChastTV) February 15, 2026

"I'll say this, she's probably the one that I'll miss the most, out of all the players that I've coached."

Those are certainly strong words from Staley and they were earned by Johnson's 19 point, 7 rebound, and 6 assist performance against LSU.

South Carolina Gets the Best of MiLaysia Fulwiley Matchup

MiLaysia Fulwiley 23, LSU Tigers Women’s Basketball take on the South Carolina Gamecocks at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, LA. Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. | SCOTT CLAUSE / USATODAY Network / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Of course, the subplot heading into the much hyped contest between South Carolina and LSU revolved around guard MiLaysia Fulwiley, who notably transferred between the two SEC titans in the offseason.

RELATED: Dawn Staley Addresses MiLaysia Fulwiley Matchup Before South Carolina-LSU Clash

Staley didn't make too much of facing her former player before the game, saying South Carolina would treat her like any other opponent. And more often than not, the opposition struggles against the Gamecocks—which was the case for Fulwiley.

Fulwiley was just 1-8 from the floor in the loss, as her new coach Kim Mulkey still has not notched a win over South Carolina since taking over at LSU, the lone SEC squad she has failed to defeat.

South Carolina is the only current SEC school that Kim Mulkey has not beaten since taking the helm at LSU.

That's 18-straight wins for the Gamecocks over the Tigers. LSU last beat them in 2012.

— Alexa Philippou (@alexaphilippou) February 15, 2026

And Staley made it clear afterward she doesn't feel her team is lacking in the guard department, even if she did admit how much she'll miss Johnson when her time at South Carolina is complete.