Dawn Staley has her South Carolina squad back in the Final Four and one young fan has quite the souvenir to celebrate. The defending national champion Gamecocks beat Duke 54–50 on Sunday in the Elite Eight to secure a fifth consecutive trip to the Final Four.

After South Carolina beat Duke, Staley said it was “customary” for her to show love to the Carolina Band after big wins. She had a similar postgame moment with the group after USC beat Texas to win the 2025 SEC championship in Greenville. “They really are part of the atmosphere that’s created in the gym,” Staley said.

Dawn Staley says the Gamecocks "really weren't supposed to be here" but never gave up on defending their national championship in the Final Four.