Top-ranked UConn and South Carolina will face off in Sunday’s NCAA Division I women’s basketball national championship game. The two teams are vying for the 2025 title, which will take place later on Sunday in Tampa, Florida.
South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley is set to bring her team into this highly anticipated match-up despite being under a lot of scrutiny due to Paige Bueckers’ narrative. Staley believes that it’s time to shift the focus away from just Bueckers and instead give more attention to the accomplishments of other players, including those on South Carolina.
In an interview on Saturday, Staley argued that narratives surrounding top female basketball players can overshadow the achievements of others. She claimed that when these stories are prevalent in media coverage and discussion they can create a biased perspective about who is truly deserving of accolades.
The Gamecocks have been successful in recent years with back-to-back national titles under Staley’s leadership, but their accomplishments often get overlooked due to the immense hype surrounding Bueckers. Staley believes that her team deserves more attention and that narratives should be balanced by giving equal recognition to other players.
“We can raise Paige up because she deserves that, and raise our players up because they deserve that,” Staley said. “And that’s not talked about enough. There’s room for it in our game.”
With UConn looking to repeat as champions, the matchup between these two teams is set to be highly competitive and closely watched by fans across the nation. The teams will face off at 3 p.m. ET at Amalie Arena on Sunday.
Source: https://www.foxnews.com/sports/south-carolinas-dawn-staley-suggests-espns-framing-her-comments-paige-bueckers-was-misleading-lies