Dawn Staley explains why her South Carolina team is ready to finish what they started

South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley joined Yahoo Sports women’s basketball expert Cassandra Negley to speak about her team’s great season so far, why Aliyah Boston should be player of the year, and the team’s chances to finish the year with the national championship trophy after heartbreak last season.

Coach Staley joined Yahoo Sports on behalf of TIAA. TIAA partnered with ambassadors across women’s basketball to share personal stories around the impact of Title IX, with the goal of raising awareness and inspiring everyone to work together to close the gap and #retireinequality for good.

Video Transcript

[CHEERING]

CASSANDRA NEGLEY: So we're here with Dawn Staley, head coach of the number one South Carolina Gamecocks. Dawn, you do not shy away from scheduling a tough non-conference schedule. You're 11 and 0 versus AP-ranked teams. Well, March is here. So what have you seen out of those games that had South Carolina prepared for the tournament?

DAWN STALEY: Oh, I mean, we challenged ourselves. And I really didn't know what we were doing with that schedule because, I mean, we were bringing back a really good team coupled with bringing in the number one recruiting class.

So I thought from top to bottom, we would have a pretty talented roster. So playing a top schedule would cater to their competitiveness and their growth. And that's what's taking place. And I feel good about what we've been able to accomplish up until this point.

CASSANDRA NEGLEY: That group lost in the Final Four last year by one possession. What is the benefit to having that team back making a deep run in the NCAA tournament? Or are there drawbacks to having a team that went that far?

DAWN STALEY: I mean, that I don't think that there's a drawback. I think we put this team together for a reason. And the biggest reason is we all want to win national championships. And in order for you to do that, it doesn't happen overnight.

So there's some growing pains that go with that. There's some heartaches that go with that. But there's also the journey of what we're doing. Like, we're enjoying each other. And we're getting closer to that point of competing in the NCAA tournament to hopefully go back to getting that elusive national championship.

CASSANDRA NEGLEY: A player like Aliyah Boston to me is incredibly consistent, and her double doubles show that. What has allowed her to be so consistent this year?

DAWN STALEY: I mean, I look at the numbers. The numbers speak for themselves. I look at the team that she plays on. Yes, does she have a lot of help? She does. But even having a lot of help, she's responsible for almost 40% of our offensive production. Like, I mean-- and then the type of schedule that we played, I just think for me, it is-- and I'm a basketball enthusiast.

I'm a person that has worn a lot of hats in coaching various USA basketball teams and coaching at Temple and coaching at South Carolina and playing and coaching against the very best that our game has to offer in different eras. And she is someone that when you look at her, you know, she's gotten better, like, a great player getting better in front of our very eyes.

And it's just worth noting that she's not being voted on for her progression. She's being voted on as the National Player of the Year for her resume this season. And I just feel like she's done it from day one until currently. And I just really want her entire body to work to speak for itself.

CASSANDRA NEGLEY: You're teaming up with TIAA to share some stories about the impact of Title IX. Can you tell us more about that partnership?

DAWN STALEY: I mean, the partnership-- you know, and I like to partner with people that have a passion for facts and have a passion for change when those facts don't line up the way they're supposed to line up. And the partnership is about women retiring with 30% less than our male counterparts for doing the same job.

Like, I think it's just unheard of in the whole grand scheme of things when we're always the one that have to take less just because-- I mean, just because we're women. And I truly believe this campaign will shed light on what's happening out there in all professions.

And I hope that companies really take notice and do the right thing and pay women what they're worth. And I hope women will fight for what they're worth. So that number can decrease to not-- to less than 30% and more like, 0% because that means we're getting it right.

CASSANDRA NEGLEY: Well, that's all I have for you. Dawn, thank you for being with us at Yahoo Sports.

DAWN STALEY: Thank you.