South Carolina women’s basketball improved to 26-2 on the season after defeating Alabama 76-57, with head coach Dawn Staley extending her personal record against the Crimson Tide to 25-0. Following the victory, Staley addressed the media and covered a range of topics from individual performances to team dynamics.
On Te-Hina Paopao Joyce’s 23-point, 12-rebound performance:
Staley credited Joyce’s athleticism and decision-making for her consistent efficiency, noting she plays within the flow of the offense while still capitalizing on mismatches. “Joyce shoots herself out of a cannon all the time,” Staley said. “I think her athleticism and her quickness really gives her an advantage to shoot the ball, to drive past people, or when she’s posting up.” Staley also praised her team for feeding Joyce when she had position in the paint against undersized defenders.
On Alabama’s growth since the first meeting:
Staley was complimentary of the Crimson Tide, describing them as a difficult opponent both times the teams met. “They run their sets with efficiency,” she said, adding that Alabama has the personnel across all five positions and enough bench depth to compete every game. She praised Alabama head coach Kristy Curry and suggested the rigors of SEC play will show up when teams reach the NCAA Tournament. “It’s just tough in our league, night in and night out,” Staley said.
On Joyce’s consistent performances against Alabama:
Staley said she hadn’t specifically been tracking Joyce’s success against Alabama, because strong outings are simply the norm for her. She credited Joyce’s film study and her ability to identify and exploit defensive gaps. “She takes what the defense gives her,” Staley said, while also calling for more consistency in Joyce’s rebounding, noting the team is measurably better when she brings that dimension to her game.
On Madina Okot’s double-double in the first half:
Staley pointed to improved mental clarity as the key factor in Okot’s resurgence. “All players go through a time during the season when it’s just mentally draining,” she explained, adding that mental fatigue inevitably affects physical performance. Staley said the coaching staff made offensive adjustments to give Okot clearer direction, and credited point guard Raven Johnson for supporting her teammate through the difficult stretch. “She’s just playing more aggressive basketball, and that benefits us, obviously,” Staley said.
On not calling timeouts during Alabama’s run:
Staley explained that her timeout philosophy depends on the nature of a run rather than simply reacting to the scoreboard. “All teams are going to go on runs,” she said. “It depends on the type of run.” She said her trust in her veteran point guards — who know the pulse of the team — allowed her to let the players work through the adversity themselves. “We righted the ship,” she added.
On Maddy McDaniel’s impact:
Staley was effusive in her praise for McDaniel, describing her as a reliable, confident two-way player. “She’s very predictable,” Staley said. “She’s playing both sides of the basketball.” Staley admitted she played McDaniel more minutes than originally planned because she simply looked too good to take off the floor, concluding plainly: “Maddy makes us a better basketball team.”
On Okot shooting three-pointers:
Staley expressed full confidence in Okot’s perimeter shooting, noting it is actually one of her most natural areas of the court. “Believe it or not, I do think Madina’s comfort level is facing the basket,” Staley said. She added that while the staff works hard to develop Okot’s post presence, they also want to give her more opportunities to score facing up — whether from three or mid-range — so that not every basket requires maximum physical effort.
