By Ishika Ghosh
When life hands you lemons, why not dance it out? Dawn Staley is the kind of coach who can rock a Super Bowl sweatshirt on game day and still command respect. But when her No. 2-ranked South Carolina Gamecocks fell to Texas, did her Philly pride take a hit? Not a chance.
South Carolina entered Sunday’s game against Texas, dominant and on top of the table. But what transpired at Moody Centre, only a few could have anticipated. No.4 Longhorns held the lead for every second to snap the Gamecocks’ 57-game SEC winning streak and 17 for the season overall. But Staley wasn’t letting it get to her head. It was the day she had been anticipating for years as a Philly fan.
The head coach had shown up to the game, repping her Philadelphia roots, wearing an Eagles Super Bowl 59 sweatshirt and matching green sneakers. She was ready to celebrate as the Eagles soared to a 40-22 victory, avenging their previous Super Bowl loss to the Chiefs. So when Fanatics (@Fanatics) joked, “On a scale of 1-10, how hype do you think @dawnstaley is right now? 👀🤣” she replied with a clip of her dancing with an enormous Eagles hat on.
Staley was supposed to be in New Orleans for the night. She had her day planned out. But President Trump’s arrival would shut down the airways and with it, Staley’s hopes to cheer alongside the likes of her in the stands. She’s been showing up in Philly merch all season long and updating on social media with every win. So we understand if Staley grooved to some music despite a tough loss.
“Blow the WHISTLE!!!” she penned as the Eagles stopped the Chiefs from writing history with a hat-trick. The last time she came in Philly attire for a Gamecocks game, the Eagles had defeated the Green Bay Packers to kick off the playoffs and South Carolina had defeated the very same Texas team 67-50. She would have appreciated a deja vu, but here we are. However, this is not to say Staley did not have her head in the game.
When two top-10 teams clash, you expect fireworks. But Sunday’s South Carolina-Texas game brought a different kind of heat—16 fouls in the first quarter alone. No. 2 South Carolina faced a gritty battle against No. 6 Texas, but the whistle-heavy start stole the spotlight.
DS didn’t hold back, telling ESPN’s Holly Rowe, “People are here to see the players play… let the players play.” With 22 free throws in the first quarter, the game’s flow was anything but smooth. Staley’s frustration was clear. Nine fouls were called on her Gamecocks, including two each on Te-Hina PaoPao, Sania Feagin, and Maryam Dauda. Yet, she stood firm: “We are not going to adjust. This is how we play.”
Tying 49-49 by the end of third quarter, South Carolina had a chance to extend their 58-game SEC win streak. MiLaysia Fulwiley led the charge with 6 points in the final minutes for a total of 13, but the Gamecocks needed more than grit to overcome Texas’ defense. This wasn’t just a game—it was a potential postseason preview. Both the Gamecocks and the Longhorns are in the race to make the no.1 seed. With 6 and 5 more games left, respectively, things are getting heated. Hopefully, coach Dawn Staley carries the winning Philly spirit.