Dawn Staley Raises Stakes With UConn-South Carolina 'Rivalry' Take Before Final Four
It's hard to debate that the UConn Huskies and the South Carolina Gamecocks have been the two most dominant women's basketball teams of the past decade.
While UConn only has one national championship since the 2016 season, that lone championship came last year. And Geno Auriemma's Huskies squad is knocking on the door of another title this weekend. Not to mention that they've made it to the Final Four in 17 of the past 18 seasons, excluding the 2020 season, where there was no NCAA Tournament. That level of sustained dominance is unmatched in both men's and women's college basketball.
But Dawn Staley's South Carolina Gamecocks team has UConn beat when it comes to dominance in this decade. They've made it to the Final Four in six straight seasons, including in 2026, and have been NCAA champions in three of those seasons (2017, 2022, and 2024).
UConn has bragging rights in this matchup, as they dominated South Carolina in the 2025 NCAA championship game. But the Gamecocks have an opportunity to get revenge when these two teams face off in the Final Four on April 3.
Dawn Staley Gets Honest About 'Rivalry' Between South Carolina and UConn Before Final Four
Staley and Auriemma both spoke to the media after their team's practices on April 2. When Staley was asked about what makes the matchup against UConn special, she said, "What makes this matchup special is, [it has] become a rivalry, and everybody wants to see," per an X post from Matt Dowell of WACH FOX.
"It's two programs battling for supremacy. And it has been like that over the past couple of years, and I hope we can find a way to keep it close and find a way to win a basketball game. That's what it's about when you're playing in the third weekend of the NCAA Tournament," she added.
Dawn Staley on what makes the matchup between @GamecockWBB and @UConnWBB special:
— Matt Dowell (@MattDowellTV) April 2, 2026
"It's become a rivalry, and everybody wants to see. It's two programs battling for supremacy." pic.twitter.com/rvuqZrYgBa
There's no doubt that this has become arguably the most intriguing matchup in college basketball, especially when it takes place in the NCAA Tournament. And given that these two teams are full of young and talented players (and are always among the top recruiting classes), this 2026 Final Four showdown is probably not the last time these two teams will play each other in the postseason over the next couple of seasons.
But that's not on Staley or Auriemma's minds right now. They're focused on producing a win against the other on April 2.
Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.
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