South Carolina coach Dawn Staley isn't sweating her team's 17-point loss to rival Texas in the Southeastern Conference Tournament championship.
In fact, she thinks it might be a blessing in disguise for her Gamecocks (31-3) heading into the NCAA Tournament, allowing them to refocus.
“Our team knows we didn’t play our best basketball — not nearly what we’re capable of doing,” Staley said of the 78-61 loss to the Longhorns, a game in which they fell behind 14-0. “But I told them that the last time we lost in this situation, we won a national championship. So you’ve got to think about that. It might be the very thing this team needs.”
The fourth-ranked Gamecocks (31-3) last lost the SEC championship game in 2022 to Kentucky, but went on to beat UConn 64-49 for the second of Staley's three national championships since taking over as coach at South Carolina.
South Carolina enters this year's tournament as a No. 1 seed for the sixth straight time. UConn, UCLA and Texas are the other top seeds.
The Gamecocks have reached the Final Four in each of the last five seasons, while making the national championship game three times and cutting down the nets twice during that span.
They open this year's tournament at Colonial Life Arena on Saturday against the winner of a First Four game between Southern and Samford, both No. 16 seeds. If they win their first two games, the Gamecocks will head West to Sacramento for the regionals.
Two of South Carolina's three losses this season have come to Texas and first-team All-American Madison Booker, who has proven to be a difficult matchup. (The other defeat was an overtime loss on the road at Oklahoma.)
South Carolina is 1-2 against Texas (31-3), beating the Longhorns at home in January en route to winning the regular season title outright. The teams are on opposite sides of the bracket, meaning if they meet for a fourth time it would come in the national championship game.
South Carolina has the firepower to win another national championship despite losing four starters from the 2025 national runner-up squad.
Three of those players had completed their eligibility, and 2025 SEC Tournament MVP Chloe Kitts was lost for the season due to a knee injury. Key reserve MiLaysia Fulwiley transferred to LSU.
But returner Joyce Edwards (19.6 points and, 6.3 rebounds per game) has stepped up her game and the Gamecocks feature a strong backcourt led Raven Johnson and Tessa Johnson. They've also gotten big contributions from transfer Madina Okot and Ta'Niya Latson.
The Gamecocks have responded well to their previous two losses this season, twice rattling off 12-game win streaks.
The big question now will be if they can regroup from the Texas loss and make a run at another national title.
“Things we usually make weren’t necessarily going in,” Edwards said following the loss to Texas. “It just happens. We have other goals in mind — the national championship. This isn’t the end all be all, so we’re just moving forward.”
If there was a big bright spot for the Gamecocks coming out of the SEC Tournament it was the improved play of 6-foot-7 Alicia Tournebize, a midseason addition from France. Tournabize's height and wing span could be a factor for South Carolina later in the tournament, allowing Okot more time to rest.
“If we could get Ali to play the way she did — she played inspired,” Staley said. "If she can give us that. She got seven rebounds on a great rebounding team like Texas and held her own defensively.
“We needed scoring. We know Ali can score the basketball. I thought she did a pretty good job. I think we should probably have gotten her the ball a little bit more in the block and let her go to work. But we made a step forward in our journey to win a national championship. Somebody like her will add to the depth that we need to make this run.”
South Carolina guard Raven Johnson celebrates after scoring against LSU during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
South Carolina forward Joyce Edwards shoots over LSU guard Milaysia Fulwiley during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley reacts during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Texas in the final of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Sunday, March 8, 2026, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
Senegal isn't giving up its Africa Cup of Nations title without a legal fight, with the country's soccer federation saying it will appeal the “unfair, unprecedented, and unacceptable decision” to strip the team of its victory in a chaotic final against host Morocco.
The Confederation of African Football’s appeals board on Tuesday ruled Senegal forfeited the final in January by walking off the field and turned its 1-0 win in extra time into a 3-0 default win for Morocco.
The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) said the decision “discredits African football,” and that it will appeal “as soon as possible” to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland, a process that would typically take a year to deliver a verdict.
“The FSF reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the values of integrity and sporting justice and will keep the public informed of developments in this matter,” the federation said in a statement.
The Jan. 18 final descended into chaos when Senegal’s players left the field in stoppage time after having a late goal ruled out before Morocco was awarded a potentially game-deciding penalty. There were scuffles between rival players while furious Senegal fans tried to storm the field where they were battling with stewards, before Senegal coach Pape Thiaw led most of his players off. It was unclear if the game could continue.
But they returned after around 10 minutes and play resumed with Morocco star Brahim Díaz having his “Panenka”-style penalty saved by Édouard Mendy. Senegal’s Pape Gueye scored the only goal in extra time.
CAF in its decision referred to Articles 82 and 84 of its Africa Cup regulations. Article 82 says if a team “refuses to play or leaves the ground before the regular end of the match without the authorization of the referee” it loses the game and is eliminated from the competition. Article 84 awards the opposing team a 3-0 win.
However, Law 5 of the International Football Association Board (IFAB), which sets the rules for the game globally, gives “full authority” to referees to determine what happens in a match.
“The decisions of the referee regarding facts connected with play, including whether or not a goal is scored and the result of the match, are final. The decisions of the referee, and all other match officials, must always be respected,” according to Law 5.2.
CAF in January imposed fines of more than $1 million for both the Senegalese and Moroccan federations. It banned Thiaw for five Africa games for bringing the game into disrepute. But it did not interfere with the outcome of the game.
On Tuesday, it reduced Morocco player Ismaël Saibari’s three-game ban to one match and scrapped his $100,000 fine for unsporting behavior, while it also reduced fines that were imposed against the Moroccan federation for the conduct of its ball boys from $200,000 to $50,000. Another fine was also reduced.
The CAF decision was met with disbelief and dismay in Senegal.
“To take back a trophy two months after the final was played is just ridiculous,” Souleymane Ba, a university student, told The Associated Press in Senegal's capital Dakar. “The Senegalese players won medals, millions of francs (hundreds of thousands of dollars) in bonuses for winning the cup, and paraded the trophy through the country. And now CAF wants to take all that away? How do they even expect to do that?”
Pape Sarr, a shop owner, said while he is shocked by the ruling, he is confident the appeal to CAS will be successful.
“The referee did not forfeit the match after the players left, and validated the result, so that should be the end of the story,” Sarr said.
Taxi driver Abdoulaye Diouf had a similar view.
“The whole world saw that we won legitimately," Diouf said. "Senegal are the champions on the field. Morocco can be the champions in the courthouse if they want.”
Morocco’s embassy in Dakar called on Moroccans in Senegal to “demonstrate restraint, vigilance, and a sense of responsibility.”
“It is important to recall that, in all circumstances, it is only a match, the outcome of which should never justify any form of escalation or excessive remarks between brotherly peoples," the embassy said.
Streets in the capital were mostly calm, also because of Ramadan.
Associated Press reporter Mark Banchereau contributed from Dakar, Senegal.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
FILE - Players from both sides clash after a controversial penalty was awarded to Morocco late on during the Africa Cup of Nations final soccer match between Senegal and Morocco in Rabat, Morocco, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Youssef Loulidi, File)
FILE - Sebegalese players celebrate after winning the Africa Cup of Nations final soccer match between Senegal and Morocco, in Rabat, Morocco, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy, File)
FILE - Morocco players react after losing the Africa Cup of Nations final soccer match between Senegal and Morocco in Rabat, Morocco, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Youssef Loulidi, File)
FILE - Senegal's Sadio Mane holds the trophy aloft as he celebrates with teammates after winning the Africa Cup of Nations final soccer match between Senegal and Morocco in Rabat, Morocco, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Youssef Loulidi, File)
