UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA
SPRING 2022
DAILYGAMECOCK.COM
SINCE 1908
'Our history over their history':
Gamecocks win second national title
Junior forward Aliyah Boston lifts the NCAA women’s basketball national championship trophy abover her head at the Target Center in Minneapolis, MN. The Gamecocks defeated the University of Connecticut 64-49 on April 3, 2022.
'I'LL BE ABLE TO TAKE IT WITH ME FOREVER': STUDENTS STORM FOUNTAIN AFTER GAMECOCKS WIN NATIONAL TITLE Caleb Bozard & Sydney Dunlap
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tudents stormed the fountain in front of the Thomas Cooper library fountain after the South Carolina women’s basketball team won its second national championship on April 3. Gamecocks lined the sides of the fountain watching the final minutes of the game on their phones. When the final buzzer blew, hundreds of students yelled out and jumped into the fountain, mirroring the celebrations after head coach Dawn Staley led the team to its first national title in 2017. “I came out here and celebrated, celebrated it with the students. I met with the students on campus here. We’re having a ball, time of our lives,” fourth-year mechanical engineering student Lonnie Boston said. Students who were not waiting in front of the library were soon on their way, rushing across campus towards the sounds of celebrating Gamecocks.
“Immediately, I was jumping up and down and immediately ran out the door to go to the fountain,” first-year sports management student Samuel Truett said. The crowd — and the piles of shoes on the bricks around the sides of the fountain — continued to grow after the Gamecocks took the national title. Graduate business administration student McKenzie Hagwood came from the watch party in Russell House to the fountain. “We were one of the first people out here, and we didn’t think it was gonna get much busier, but you can’t even see the fountain anymore for the people,” Hagwood said. Students came from all parts of campus to join in the celebration. “Oh my gosh, I was in my dorm actually, like in my pajamas. And I screamed. I was like, ‘Oh my God, we won.’ I mean, I knew we’re gonna win but just to see it actually happening,” firstyear sociology student Amber Montgomery said. Hagwood said the moment is especially meaningful to her as it comes at the end of her time at USC. “Getting to see this experience as I’m about to graduate, I’ll be able to take it with me forever,” she said. For students who weren’t enrolled in 2017, this was their first time storming the fountain. “It’s super exciting being a freshman student, and it being the first basketball season and the women bring home the national championship — it’s definitely super exciting, a fun atmosphere and this is why I picked South Carolina as a school,” first-year chemistry student Natalie Deal said. The fountain-stormers took pictures, carried each other on their shoulders, waved towels, shot fireworks, chanted and screamed. Colored lights shone into the fountains as students waded through the cold water and began to sing the alma mater. “There’s no other, no other energy ... but explosiveness, intensity. Just like how our girls
Photo: Faith Worrell
Photo: sydney Dunlap South Carolina students wrestle in the Thomas Cooper Library fountain after hundreds of students jumped in the water to celebrate the women’s basketball team’s win over the University of Connecticut in the national championship. The Gamecocks beat the Huskies 64-49 on April 3, 2022.
played with explosive intensity tonight, we got explosive intensity here celebrating their win,” Boston said. Last year, the women’s team lost in the Final Four after missing a layup in the final seconds. Daquan Wise, a third-year electrical engineering student, saw this year’s win as a chance to make things right. “I’m happy we finally got a chance to kind of not redeem, but really just prove ourselves and show everybody that we are who we thought we were,” Wise said. For some students, the women’s championship title means more than just a new trophy. “It means so much because seeing a Black woman and predominately Black basketball team take the championship,” Montgomery said. “It’s actually inspiring. I mean, I don’t do sports. But I feel like I can do whatever — take my own national championship.” Editor’s note: Noah Hale contributed to the reporting in this article.
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ANALYSIS: DAWN STALEY LEADS GAMECOCKS WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TO 2022 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP VICTORY Lawson Murrell
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he South Carolina Gamecocks women’s basketball team led wire-to-wire on its way to its second national championship in program history. The Gamecocks defeated the University of Connecticut 64-49 on Sunday night in Minneapolis to crown its 35-2 season with a national title. “I thought our players were just really resilient and they didn’t want to lose this so close to being national champions,” head coach Dawn Staley said. “They did not want to lose this battle, so they kicked it into another gear to get it done.” With the win, Staley becomes the first Black
head basketball coach — in men’s and women’s basketball — to win multiple national championships. South Carolina delivered an overpowering performance in the title game, outrebounding the Huskies 49 to 24 including a 21 to six advantage on the offensive glass. The Gamecocks translated the rebound advantage into 22 second chance points. Senior guard Destanni Henderson scored a career-high 26 points in her final game as a Gamecock to lead her team to victory. Henderson said the team went on a season-long grind to achieve its goal of winning a title.
Graduate student guard Lele Grissett high-fives fellow Gamecocks teammates on the bench.
“We fought since day one, and we knew that we could come out on top this year,” Henderson said. “Our coaches have just prepared us for this moment, our teammates just believed in us since day one and we all just came in ready to play and fighting with grit.” Henderson was aggressive on both ends of the floor and Staley praised her for trusting the process throughout her college career. “Henny was patient enough to wait for those things, and now she’ll go on — she’ll be in the record books. She’ll be the one that we’ll remember her performance, we’ll
remember her doing the job both offensively and defensively,” Staley said. Junior forward Aliyah Boston turned in another captivating performance. She finished with 11 points and 16 rebounds for her 30th double-double of the season and added two blocks and three assists. Boston said the team’s ability to hold its No. 1 ranking throughout the season is a testament to their talent. “I think coach Staley did a great job of scheduling us a hard nonconference schedule which kept us prepared and we were able to fight through all those games, so it shows you how
determined we were to continue to be successful,” Boston said. The 2022 South Carolina women’s basketball national championship team rises above all others in program history, Staley said. “I do think this is our best team, just the roster from top to bottom, the commitment to their roles,” Staley said. “They can defend. This team can really, really defend. I think we’re an elite defensive team, that’s the separator from my other teams.” Staley said she is “just basking in our glory of winning the national championship.”
Junior guard Zia Cooke pushes past a University of Connecticut player during the national champtionship game
The Gamecocks women’s basketball team poses with the national championship trophy on April 3, 2022. South Carolina defeated the University of Connecticut 64-49.
Senior forward Victaria Saxton shoots the ball at the national champtionship game on April 3, 2022.
Senior guard Destanni Henderson goes for a layup during the national champtionship game on April 3, 2022. Henderson scored 26 points during the game against the University of Connecticut.
Photos: Faith Worrell
Final Four brings Gamecocks women’s basketball team, fans together for memorable experience Lawson Murrell
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uring the first weekend in April, women’s basketball culture descended on Minneapolis, Minnesota for the three most anticipated women’s college basketball games of the year. The Final Four brought South Carolina, Stanford, Connecticut and Louisville along with their diehard fans from across the country. South Carolina “FAMs” were no exception. Gamecock fan Lauren Dreher bought tickets the day they went on sale and made the trip to cheer for the school she has supported for over 25 years. “I’m born and raised in Columbia, South Carolina. My dad’s had season tickets to football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball for as long as I can remember,” Dreher said. South Carolina women’s basketball head coach Dawn Staley took time during the women’s Final Four festivities in Minneapolis to reflect on the fan presence and support felt by her team throughout its season. “This is my 14th year being at South Carolina, but the last probably 10, the ‘FAMs’ have given us a ride that’s kind of irreplaceable, giving our student-athletes an experience like no other by filling our arena and traveling with us,” Staley said. Sean and HC Harding bought their tickets the day they went on sale and made the trip from Dallas, Texas for a father-daughter Final Four outing. Sean said he has been
a Gamecocks fan for 20 years since his wife attended the university and passed it down to HC whose favorite player is graduate guard Lele Grissett. While some had to travel over 1,000 miles to Minneapolis, not all Gamecock fans had to make a long journey to the Final Four. Edrin Williams, a South Carolina alumnus who relocated to Minnesota after graduation, brought along his daughters — Harper and Taylor — to cheer for their favorite player, junior forward Aliyah Boston. Williams graduated in 2003, but during his time in Columbia as a student he worked with The Daily Gamecock. “I grew up in South Carolina and went to USC and then moved here to Minneapolis after graduation, so they were born into the Gamecock family,” Williams said referencing his daughters. After having plans derailed by the pandemic in 2020 and a scheduling conflict in 2021, Gamecocks fan Krystal Nicole bought a Final Four trip as a Christmas gift for Kalendra Thompson. Thompson said she has experienced a lot but not much better than the events in the Twin Cities. “This is literally almost at the top, from the way it’s laid out, the Tourney Town events, just being able to be around the culture of women’s basketball which I am so big on,” Thompson said. “So, it just kind of feels like being immersed, it’s been absolutely incredible, and the NCAA did a really great
Photo: Faith Worrell
South Carolina fans filled the section behind the Gamecocks bench during South Carolina’s 72-59 victory over Louisville on April 1, 2022. South Carolina advanced to play in the national championship game with the win.
job bringing the madness to women’s basketball.” Another Gamecock fan knew he was coming to the Final Four before the team’s win. Nate Hinton has a connection with South Carolina’s star player, Boston, from her time in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Hinton said he bought his ticket in October of 2021 and has been a South Carolina fan for longer than he can remember. “In 2009, I did a camp in UVI, a sports camp, and she was one of the kids at the camp and I gave each kid a Michael Jordan sweatband set. When she came here, I saw her, I said, ‘Hey Aliyah you may not remember me, but you remember the coach that gave you sweatbands at the camp?’ and
she said ‘Oh no! You?’… “That was me,” Hinton said with a smile. Boston said she took note of the young girls in attendance for Friday night’s game and reflected on the impact her and the Gamecocks are able to have on those girls. “Eighteen thousand people last night for March Madness was amazing,” Boston said on Saturday. “I remember being in the stands watching the Final Four games. And so, to be playing and girls coming up to me after the games asking me to sign something or take a picture, it’s like we’re really making an impact and women’s basketball is definitely something that’s going to continue to grow.”
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A sea of Gamecock fans in the reflection pond outside Thomas Cooper Library at the University of South Carolina. Students stormed the fountain seconds after the Gamecocks won the national title.
Right: Gamecock fans on Greene Street in front of the reflection pond at Thomas Cooper Library holding their “cups” while the alma mater plays.
Former Gamecock forward A’ja Wilson celebrates the win with junior forward Aliyah Boston. Wilson attended both the Final Four and championship game in Minneapolis, MN.
CELEBRATING THE
CHAMPIONS
Jerry Bowen, Sydney Dunlap & Faith Worrell
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he South Carolina women’s basketball team won the national championship on April 3, 2022, defeating the UConn Huskies 64-49 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, MN. While confetti rained down on the Gamecocks on the court, students in Columbia, SC stormed the fountain in front of the Thomas Cooper Library. Students wrestled, jumped around, chanted “USC! USC! USC!” and sang the alma mater. The fountain celebrations mirrored how Gamecocks reacted when head coach Dawn Staley led the team to its first national championship title in 2017.
Above: Junior forward Aliyah Boston lifts the NCAA women’s basketball national championship trophy abover her head at the Target Center in Minneapolis, MN. The Gamecocks defeated the University of Connecticut 64-49 on April 3, 2022.
Senior forward Victaria Saxton cuts a piece of the net after winning the national title. Saxton scored 6 points against the Huskies.
Water from the Thomas Cooper Library fountain rains down on a student as he celebrates the USC womens basketball team’s title. Students were seen wrestling, chanting, and taking pictures during the fountain celebration.
Aliyah Boston and Victaria Saxton share an emotional hug winning the 2022 National Championship on April 3, 2022. Boston also won all four national player of the year awards while in Minneapolis, MN.
South Carolina students splash water around while celebrating the Gamecocks’ win in the Thomas Cooper Library fountain. Students celebrated the win for over an hour in the fountain on April 3, 2022.
A group of South Carolina students celebrate the national title by the steps on Greene Street by the Thomas Cooper Library fountain. Hundreds of Gamecocks gathered in and around the fountain to celebrate.
Senior guard Destanni Henderson cuts a piece of the net after winning the national championship. Players and coaches cut off pieces of the net after winning games to commemorate the experience.
South Carolina women’s basketball head coach Dawn Staley lifts the national championship trophy. This is Staley’s second time leading the Gamecocks to a national title.
A student is raised above the crowd giving a “spurs up” during a celebration in the reflection pond outside Thomas Cooper Library. This follows the women’s basketball team winning the national championship on April 3, 2022.
Graphic: Faith Worrell