NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: REGIONAL 1 SEMIFINAL - UCLA VS SOUTH CAROLINA

March 24, 2023

Dawn Staley

Aliyah Boston

Zia Cooke

Bon Secours Wellness Arena

South Carolina Gamecocks

Sweet 16 Pregame Media Conference

DAWN STALEY: Super excited to get things going and also to showcase our state. I think Greenville has done a tremendous job hosting the SEC tournament, and I'm so proud to be a South Carolinan so everyone can see what our state has to offer.

Q. Last game against UCLA was obviously a while ago, but do you think you'll see any similarities from what they ran, what you guys had to run to stop them from that game to come into this one?

DAWN STALEY: I'm sure. If I had us on the ropes like they had us on the ropes, I would actually take some things that were pretty good and probably try to stick with those things that were good for us.

But we'll probably see the sagging, probably see the 32, maybe they'll press us a little bit because I've seen them press. Much like us, they're going to probably throw it all out there because at this stage of the game, it is do what you need to do to get a victory.

Q. After that first matchup with UCLA Coach was saying that you told her, we'll see you all again this season. What was it about that matchup that you knew this day would come down the road?

DAWN STALEY: Well, I mean, we've always run into opponents that we have seen throughout the season, and I just felt like they were a really good opponent and an opponent that we'll probably face again. I think they're just really, really well-coached and really intentional about where they like to get their shots from. And they're really good at what they do on both sides of the basketball, and they rebound extremely well.

It's a great matchup because we're probably very similar in those qualities.

Q. In the era of transfer portal, keeping depth has been increasingly difficult for coaches. You've been able to do it better than almost anyone. I'm curious why you think that is.

DAWN STALEY: I don't know. I mean, I try to treat our players as people. I try to communicate -- not I, we as a coaching staff, we communicate extremely well with our players. Good, bad or indifferent, I think they really respect the fact that we're not recruiting them in a way of dating them, like you have to date newcomers. Like we're telling, we're giving them life skills and how to deal with things.

It doesn't mean that once this is over we won't lose anybody, but whoever we lose we'll probably lose for a lack of playing time versus anything else. Because I do think we treat our players extremely well, and we treat their parents well. We communicate with them, and it's an opportunity for us to just help young people grow.

It's not to say that people that go into their transfer portal, it's not to say those coaches aren't doing the same things. But I think these young players, they just have a freedom to move, and they don't mind doing it. Like they don't mind. It's really nothing for them to decide, I want to go in a different direction and that's the way it is.

We have to deal with it, and we will.

Q. Your offensive production is impressive, but the rebound margin and the blocks per game are staggering. Can you put into perspective what those latter two stats have meant to the success of this team this year?

DAWN STALEY: I mean, we are a -- obviously we've got length. We have athleticism. I think the one thing that people don't often talk about is how incredibly smart our players are. They're highly intelligent. They're students of the game. They understand angles. They're super competitive. Because you can't do the things that we're doing without having a really good understanding of what's good about teams and try to take those things away, or knowing your scouting report, where players like to take their shots and then creating an angle and a competitiveness to cut that angle off and block a shot or deter a shot.

Then just from a rebounding standpoint, rebounding is not a skill, it's a decision. You're either going to do it or you're not.

Q. Wanted to ask about diversity. 12 of the 16 coaches are women. That's the second most in a decade. Four of the 16 are Black; that's the most in a decade. Not that we're anywhere close to where we should be yet, but is this a good trend in your opinion, where this game is going?

DAWN STALEY: Yeah, I do think it's a good trend. I do think it's more popular to hire a woman at this stage of the game. And it's not to say that I'm going to sit here and male bash, because we have a lot of male coaches who have been in our game for decades upon decades. It's not that.

It's probably the newer ones that -- maybe on the men's side of it that wants to come over. There's nothing wrong with that, because obviously I'm not going to sit here and tell an AD who to hire.

But I will say that giving women an opportunity to coach women and helping women navigate through life like they have navigated through life will allow your student-athletes a different experience than having a male coach.

Again, nothing against male coaches because if you want to come to the women's game, obviously you have a desire and a passion to coach women. It's popular now, and I hope it continues to trend in that direction.

Q. Dawn, the Yolanda jersey that you wore last week, I know you talked about why, but I'm curious on the specifics of how it actually got to you. Then in general, jerseys, how much thought do you put into whether it's a whim on the Eagles and having fun or honoring the game? How much thought do you put into that game day stuff?

DAWN STALEY: I'm pretty intentional about what I wear and who I wear it for. The Yolanda jersey, Philly is big, so somebody from Philly got in contact with me and said that somebody wanted to give me a Yolanda jersey and what size do I want. I'm like, yeah, I would like that Cheyney State jersey. That's pretty cool.

I talked to Coach Stringer, I think her birthday was March 17th. So having spoken with her, having this person reach out to me, knowing what Yolanda has meant to youth development leagues in Philadelphia, it just made sense.

Then I actually had a pair of pants that I didn't have to go with anything besides that jersey that I got, and I was like, okay, cool, this matches up pretty cool.

But there's depth behind what I wear. When it's a jersey -- not regular clothes, but when it's a jersey, when I'm honoring somebody because I know them. Or like the Eagles jerseys, we had to put good synergy into trying to get another Super Bowl.

Q. When you walk in the doors of this arena, is it like walking into a second home or a place where you're almost as comfortable as Colonial Life Arena because of all the games you've played here in recent years?

DAWN STALEY: Not so much the games, it's the people. Like you walk through, and you see familiar faces and you say hello and you have conversations with them. That is what feels comforting. Because I like to get to know the people who actually put these events on and make sure that they're trying to give us a really great experience.

So I remember the experiences because of the people who -- they do the work. We just go out there and perform. But it takes a lot to put on an SEC tournament, to put on a regional, to be a regional site. I'm glad it's Greenville because of the relationships that we've built here.

Q. Cori was just asked about the possibility of women's basketball getting their own television rights deal and also potential unit distribution for tournament appearances. Just curious what your thoughts are on those two topics.

DAWN STALEY: It should happen. I mean, it should happen. We're at that place where we're in high demand. We can -- I do believe women's basketball can stand on its own and be a huge revenue-producing sport that could do, to a certain extent, what men's basketball has done for all those other sports, all those other Olympic sports and women's basketball. I do believe we're at that place now.

I do believe we were probably at a place years ago, but until we're able to have the decision makers give us that opportunity -- and I think it's a buildup. It's slowly building up to that because there's proof in the numbers.

Q. Expanding on that, what's it like to be kind of on one of the stars of the stage, you and your team, for this TV ratings boom these last few years?

DAWN STALEY: I mean, I just think it's cool because we're -- I don't really see -- I don't see us as a UConn or Tennessee. I mean, I don't see us as that because they are the traditionally rich powerhouses of our game.

But when you see South Carolina, we probably look like the rest of the country. The trajectory that we've been experiencing, someone else could do it that looks like our team, meaning we're more of a blue-collar, nose-to-the-ground program that has found some success.

I think we just try to do it the right way. And for people to tune in and want to watch us, it means that our game is growing. There's an opportunity for our game to grow. I'm a Black coach, and I've got a majority, predominantly Black team, and for the viewers to tune into that, it means that we're opening doors that were closed for a program like us.

Q. As you get closer to that third title, people are going to inevitably start bringing up that South Carolina dynasty talk. It even started last year after you guys won. How do you either address that with the team or get them to tune it out altogether?

DAWN STALEY: Yeah, we don't really talk about it at all. We just stay current. We stay current. I think that has probably been a staple of this team to where we don't reach beyond what's in front of us. We know it's there, and we know that's what we want, but we don't reach beyond, right now, UCLA.

We don't get too far ahead of ourselves, and we just try to stay current, and if it happens, it's supposed to happen.

Q. Worldly as you are, what's your reaction to Tom Brady becoming a part owner of the Aces?

DAWN STALEY: I think it's great for our game. Again, another person is investing in our sport that has an incredible following, so he's going to open up doors for our game to continue to grow.

I'll cheer for him on that level. Other than that, it's go Eagles. Fly, Eagles, fly.

Q. Coach Yo from Seattle yesterday said you were the first person she called when she got her Ole Miss interview. What's your relationship like, and what's it like seeing her on this stage in the Sweet 16 for the first time?

DAWN STALEY: I mean, Yo has done a tremendous job, a job that -- like she said, a lot of people turned her down. People walked away from it. She walked towards being a change agent for that program. She's a really good coach. She's someone that loves her players and loves being where she is, and she stays current with what she's doing.

She wanted a big break. She wanted to coach in the Power Five. She's one that has started from the ground up, and she's built up knowledge and she's gained some friends along the way that helped mentor her in some areas. And not just me. She's got people all over the place that's helped her.

I'm just extremely happy for her, and I think she's got a pretty good bracket where she can defend. Like her teams defend, and they find a way to put enough points on the scoreboard to win some basketball games. So I'm happy she's representing the Southeastern Conference in the way that she is.

Q. For both Aliyah and Zia, your bench this year, when they get in there, they're able to make things happen. How good is that overall towards your success, and for you guys to get a little rest and be fresher at the end when you need it?

ZIA COOKE: I think it just shows how good of a team we are. It's not just the starting five that can make things happen. Our bench comes in and does their job, as well. It's definitely helpful for them to get out there and do their job and help towards our wins.

ALIYAH BOSTON: I say this all the time that there's never a drop-off when anyone gets subbed in the game because everybody knows what to do, and so they come in and they dominate, which is really good.

Q. At this stage of the season, do you feel like it's an advantage or disadvantage to have to play somebody again rather than playing somebody new?

ALIYAH BOSTON: I mean, I just think it's -- I don't think it's either, honestly. It's good that we've gotten to get a feel of their basketball. But at the same time, we played each other very early on in the season where we're both probably figuring out what we're good at, what we're not so good at, how we want to play them.

I mean, you get a good feel, but it's still probably going to feel a lot different than when we stepped on the court the first time.

ZIA COOKE: I agree.

Q. After the USF win, Coach Staley mentioned y'all's want to win. Where does that drive and want to win come from?

ZIA COOKE: I just think it comes from within. I think heart is something that you can't teach. I think that's another reason why we're so successful, just because we want to win, and that's the only thing that we want to do. Especially this year, I think everyone is dialed in and we know what the mission is and what we need to accomplish.

ALIYAH BOSTON: I definitely agree with that. It's just that competitive nature that's inside of all of us, and the coaches do a great job of continuing to push us because they want to see us be successful, as well.

Q. Zia, your growth this year, in terms of becoming the leading scorer, the go-to scorer, can you point to something specific done in the off-season or maybe a level of confidence this year that may be different from previous seasons?

ZIA COOKE: I think it's a mixture of all of that. When I go out on the floor, I just try to keep my mind as clear as possible, and I just put the work in. I always say that I think mentally I'm in the best space possible. I believe in myself, my teammates believe in me, and every game I just want to go out there and win. I don't really think about scoring.

I think freshman year, sophomore year that was probably on my mind a lot. But when I became a junior and a senior, I think I've matured in a lot of different ways, and I just realized what I need to do.

I let the game come to me, and sometimes it's where I'm scoring a lot of points. It could be defense. Just allowing myself to do whatever is needed at that time.

Q. Aliyah, the growth you've seen in your teammate, can you speak to that?

ALIYAH BOSTON: Yeah, it's just been really, really amazing to see the growth of Zia. I think she is just a great leader, first and foremost, for everybody on the court. But her scoring, her defense, honestly, it's just amazing. Just like she said, I think her mental spot is really good.

But also we believe in Zia. We know she can shoot the ball. We know she can guard anybody that Coach puts her on, and she just continues to hype us up, continues to talk to us, and it's just great to see her shine.

Q. Aliyah, last year after the National Championship, and Zia, you can add to this if you want, but after the National Championship last year, you started talking about South Carolina as a dynasty. How do you like to address the South Carolina dynasty talk now?

ALIYAH BOSTON: I mean, I really just continue to leave that up to everyone else, but I just think this program is just continuing to grow. I think Coach Staley and the entire coaching staff has done a great job with the South Carolina program as a whole. But it's just continuing to grow, and I'm excited to see the future of it.

Q. Could you both just speak on the venue? You were just here a few weeks ago. It's less than two hours from Columbia. What do you think this place is going to look like tomorrow in terms of support for you two?

ZIA COOKE: I think it's going to be a lot of fans in the building. I think they're going to be cheering us on, bringing that energy for us, and it's definitely something that we're going to need for this next stretch.

ALIYAH BOSTON: I second that.

Q. There's a lot going on this time of year. You have these key games, you have classes, potentially the draft, potentially staying. What is key for you each keeping all of that in mind but making those decisions all at the same time?

ALIYAH BOSTON: The main thing is just compartmentalizing. Just making sure that when we're on the court, we're focusing on what needs to be done, the task at hand, so right now that's UCLA. And when we get off the court if you have study hall, making sure you prioritize getting your homework done in that section. Anything else you take the time that you need, but when it's time to focus on one specific thing, you give it your all.

ZIA COOKE: I agree. I think right now the main focus is UCLA and this tournament. Anything other than that -- well, of course school, but we're basically done with school at this point. I think right now it's just the tournament. That's the most important thing to me, and I don't really -- I'm not the type of person that can go too far, so I've got to focus on what's in front of me.

Q. To piggy-back on that, how do you keep things light? What's on the playlist? Are you looking at movies to remind you of something? What's the content that keeps you light and happy?

ALIYAH BOSTON: For me it's going to be TikTok first, and then if anyone has any Netflix shows, please send recommendations. But honestly, I'm going to be TikTok. I'm watching New Amsterdam right now, so just hearing and listening to that, so please send recommendations. Not a joke.

ZIA COOKE: For me, I don't really know. I'm always on the phone with my parents or my friends because they're so far away from me, so they give me a little bit of outside time to do stuff like that. Also, I just went and seen Creed. I saw it twice, too, so that movie was great. I'm on Netflix right now, too, so I try to get some time in and watch some movies and stuff like that.

Q. Your coach has worn some really creative stuff on the sidelines. Do you guys get input at all? Do you kind of have some fun with it, razz her a little bit, that kind of thing?

ALIYAH BOSTON: I mean, when she walks in the locker room, we're all like, ooh, you're showing out and we'll hype her up. And she's like, this is nothing, please stop. But honestly when Coach shows up on the sideline, she's always looking fly.

ZIA COOKE: She was fly way before we got here, so let's get that straight. She was fly before we got here, but coach is the GOAT when it comes to putting that...on. She knows what she's doing.