Staley: ‘It’s not over’ for UConn despite OSU loss

GREENVILLE, S.C.– South Carolina coach Dawn Staley does not believe anybody needs to see UConn’s failure to advance to the Final Four for the very first time given that 2007 as a precursor of things to come.

During her press conference prior to her group’s Elite Eight match versus Maryland on Sunday, Staley stated the only genuine significance to UConn’s stunning 73-61 loss to Ohio State in the Sweet 16 in Seattle on Saturday is that “the streak is over.”

” UConn is going to continue to be UConn,” Staley stated. “They’re going to refill. If you see their lineup that’s being available in and who they’re reviving next year, they’ll refill. They’ll begin a brand-new streak.

” I do not believe any of us that’s beyond UConn, we’re not panicking. They’re going to be who they are. They’re going to constantly– you get an opportunity to beat UConn, it’s constantly going to be a big win for you and 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, Connecticut, and are now sitting at 35 -0, attempting to chase after some history of their own in their mission for a 2nd straight title and unbeaten season.

The Gamecocks are the favorites to end up being the 10 th group to end up a season unbeaten in NCAA history, however it would mark the very first time in program history. 4 schools have actually completed a season unbeaten– a tremendous 6 by UConn alone.

But even prior to its Sweet 16 loss, there were some concerns about whether the UConn dynasty had actually started to reveal fractures. UConn has actually won 11 championship games, however its latest title remained in2016 This was the earliest UConn has actually been removed from the NCAA competition given that 2005.

Staley, for one, is not encouraged that this implies UConn has actually fallen back. Specifically considering that the Huskies handled injuries throughout the course of this season, consisting of losing All-American Paige Bueckers to an ACL injury.

” It’s not over,” Staley stated. “It’s a frightening thing due to the fact that they lost a lot more video games than they generally lose. They were obstructed by injuries, and when they get healthy, once they get Paige back, when this year’s recruiting class is able to play and who they’ll bring in, it’s back to the drawing 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 Final Four. Ohio State carries on to play Virginia Tech in the Elite Eight on Monday. Virginia Tech has actually never ever made it to the Final Four, while Ohio State has actually made the Final Four as soon as (in 1993). Without the Huskies, Staley was asked whether there will be a chance to grow the ladies’s college basketball audience with brand-new groups in the mix.

” When you lose UConn, you lose part of an area of the nation that takes pleasure in seeing UConn, their supremacy,” Staley stated. “But the video game has actually grown. Not simply this year and not even if UConn is no longer in the competition. We remain in need.

” There are numerous terrific stories, many fantastic gamers, many fantastic coaches, a lot of fantastic stories that we’re able to hold our own even if UConn is not a part of [it] They’ll still belong of it. As soon as this advances, we’re going to have a UConn story. They’re not here; where are they? It’s simply going to belong of the story of our video game.

” Rightfully so, due to the fact that they’ve been dominant for years. And we require to do a much better task not with simply UConn. All the groups that have actually been dominant, we require to discuss them as part of our females’s basketball history. This is a brand-new history that we’re venturing into due to the fact that there are numerous terrific gamers and parity that we require to begin recording.”

Maryland coach Brenda Frese, in her 21 st season with the Terrapins, thinks the parity that now exists in ladies’s college basketball is coming through in upsets like that a person.

” It’s extraordinary what UConn has actually had the ability to do and the requirement of quality,” Frese stated. “It is actually tough to be that constant for so long. I believe you’re likewise seeing in the guys’s video game in addition to the females’s video game, which has to do with 25 years behind the males, parity, and the website and COVID and simply the video game has actually developed.

” I believe it’s remarkable that you can’t anticipate what’s going to take place in the future.”

Frese likewise took a minute to commemorate an achievement for the Big Ten, which has 3 groups in the Elite Eight.

” For the Big Ten, we’ve lived this all season long,” she stated. “It’s remarkable to see it unfold today on the nationwide phase due to the fact that we seemed like as a conference that these groups were elite all year. Therefore to be able to type of see it unfold and play out today is what we’ve dealt with all season. I understand we’re no place close to being done.”

ESPN’s M.A. Voepel added to this report.