Dawn Staley Doesn't Mince Words on South Carolina's Deserved NCAA Tournament Seed

South Carolina Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley sent a clear message about her team's NCAA Tournament seeding.

South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley speaks to the media on the eve of the NCAA championship game between Iowa and South Carolina at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Saturday, April 6, 2024 in Cleveland. | Zach Boyden-Holmes/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK

During an appearance on ESPN after her team's SEC Conference Tournament semifinal win on March 8, South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley made a plea to the NCAA Selection Committee about where her team should be seeded for the 2025 NCAA Tournament.

"I mean, we play the best schedule in the country, we had the toughest schedule. Did we have a bad game vs. Connecticut? Sure. But don't discount what we did all season long. Don't do that. It ain't that time, it ain't that time to do that," Staley said.

"We go out and we play the toughest schedule, manufactured so we can get a No. 1 seed, if not the overall No. 1 seed," she continued.

Moments after that, ESPN bracketologist Charlie Creme came on air and told Staley that win or lose Sunday, her team will be a No. 1 seed in the tournament.

Dawn Staley with a post-game message to the NCAA selection committee:

"Did we have a bad game vs. Connecticut? Sure. But don't discount what we did all season long."

Minutes later, Charlie Cream with a message to Dawn:

"Coach, your 1 seed is solidified."

🎥: ESPN pic.twitter.com/t4wBh2jcPh

— Chaz R Frazier (@Chazf_tv) March 9, 2025

Then Sunday came and her Gamecocks squad dominated the Texas Longhorns in the SEC Conference Championship Game, thus cementing South Carolina getting a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

But Staley isn't merely content with one of these four No. 1 seeds, which she made clear when speaking on the Carolina Calls show on March 11.

"We're gonna be the number one overall seed... it's really simple," Staley said, per an X post from The State's Michael Sauls.

"Nobody has the body of work we have," she added.

Dawn Staley on where she thinks South Carolina will be seeded: "We're gonna be the number one overall seed...it's really simple.

"Nobody has the body of work we have."

— Michael Sauls (@mcsauls) March 11, 2025

While Staley is speaking with finality, the college basketball world won't know until Selection Sunday to see whether her sentiment holds true. But it's hard to imagine another team taking the top seed from South Carolina.