Dawn Staley responds to a ‘dig’ at USC’s national title: ‘God doesn’t make mistakes’
It’s been eight months and six days since South Carolina ascended to the peak of women’s college basketball, winning the NCAA championship over Mississippi State on April 2, 2017.
But for some observers, that victory still comes with an asterisk, and USC head coach Dawn Staley has had enough of it.
The criticism of the Gamecocks’ championship stems from the fact that Mississippi State pulled off a stunning overtime upset in the semifinals to knock off Connecticut, the tournament’s heavy favorite. As a result, critics say, the Bulldogs were drained from beating the team many considered the best in the country, and South Carolina beat a weakened opponent.
On Friday, longtime college basketball reporter Mel Greenberg reiterated that point in a tweet comparing the 2017 tournament to the 1997 Final Four, writing that Mississippi State didn’t have “much left in the tank” after the semifinal.
I’m ineligible but that win basically put the title in Tennessee’s hands because like Miss State, not much left in the tank after the Cardinal were the big favorite.
— Mel Greenberg (@womhoopsguru) December 8, 2017
Soon after Greenberg’s tweet, Staley fired back, writing on Twitter that Greenberg was taking a dig either at Mississippi State or South Carolina and “I know it’s hard for some to accept but we are 2017 national champs and that’s a fact. God doesn’t make mistakes so let’s stop short changing his mastery.”
Like Miss State? Either way that’s a dig on Miss State or on us winning. I know it’s hard for some to accept but we are 2017 national champs and that’s a fact. God doesn’t make mistakes so let’s stop short changing his mastery. https://t.co/L6KAOK6dA8
— dawnstaley (@dawnstaley) December 8, 2017
In the 1997 tournament Greenberg referenced in his tweet, highly-ranked Stanford entered play as a favorite, only to lose to fellow No. 1 seed Old Dominion in the semifinals. Old Dominion then lost to No. 3 seed Tennessee in the national championship in just the second loss of the season for the Monarchs.
Coincidentally, Staley’s former assistant Nikki McCray is now the head coach at Old Dominion.
Even before Staley responded to Greenberg’s tweet, South Carolina fans leaped to defend their team and the legitimacy of the Gamecocks’ championship, though a few did defend Greenberg’s point.
Not to mention the fact that @dawnstaley and the @GamecockWBB had already beaten MSU twice that year. You don't control who is the next team up. You just have to beat them. We both played the same number of games. We won! We are the 2017 national champions.
— Patty Hall (@SCWebbie) December 8, 2017
Or maybe @dawnstaley coached a hell of a game while missing one of her key players. Stop taking credit from those that put in the work to win it all!
— Mychal Harrison (@Magic_Mych) December 8, 2017
He was mostly referring to the '97 game, not 2017. Also, @womhoopsguru, the founder of the women's AP poll, is a dear friend of Staley, has known her since she was a kid and has covered her entire career. Has always given her credit, usually before anyone else.
— Hoopfeed.com (@hoopfeed) December 8, 2017
This story was originally published December 8, 2017 at 2:52 PM with the headline "Dawn Staley responds to a ‘dig’ at USC’s national title: ‘God doesn’t make mistakes’."