“There’s No Doubt We Can Beat Them”: Clemson Coach Sends Blunt Warning to Dawn Staley’s South Carolina Ahead of Thursday’s Clash
· Yahoo Sports
Dawn Staley’s South Carolina Gamecocks have established themselves as one of the most dominant programs in women’s college basketball. However, Clemson head coach Shawn Poppie isn’t intimidated by the No. 1-ranked team ahead of Thursday’s rivalry showdown.
Speaking during a press conference ahead of the game, Poppie explained why he expects his team to deliver a stronger performance against the Gamecocks.
Visit extonnews.click for more information.
“I think that for them as young people, and this is no disrespect to the first three opponents we had, it’s harder to get them focused for those three than it is this one. I think that, in itself, you’re gonna see a different team come Thursday just based on the opponent, right, of how your focus level is leading up… I, as the head coach, want us to play better than we did the first three games. But you’re trying to convince 18 to 22-year-olds that believe that we’re probably better than them, we don’t have to play our best. It’s the fine line. I think there’s no doubt in that locker room that we think that we can beat them on Thursday,” Poppie said.
He made it clear that his locker room believes it can compete with South Carolina and is not scared in any way. Whether this confidence translates to results only time will tell.
Dawn Staley’s South Carolina Continues to Build Championship Depth
Meanwhile, Staley’s Gamecocks seem very strong heading into the rivalry game. South Carolina opened the 2026-27 season ranked No. 1 nationally and is already delivering a strong performance.
The program has also continued to strengthen its future through an impressive 2027 recruiting class. All four of South Carolina’s commitments, Jezelle “GG” Banks, Jordyn Palmer, Zaniya Johnson, and Taylor Brown, officially signed with the Gamecocks during the November signing period.
This is the top-ranked recruiting class in the country, according to ESPN. Staley praised the chemistry, talent, and competitive spirit of her incoming players, believing several could make an immediate impact when they arrive.
“I like the chemistry. Some of them are used to playing with each other, but they’ve been around. They’ve been to so many events together. It’s a lot of talent, a lot of competitive spirit, a lot of players that can immediately come and make an impact for our team. Excited. Excited for their journeys, excited to see them finish up their high school careers, and come on and help us try to win some more championships,” Staley said per On3.
“They all have promising senior years,” she said. “Hopefully Tay (Brown) can get back and play some her senior year. GG (Banks), Z (Johnson), and, we call her Big Fish (Palmer). She went fishing on our trip, so we call her Big Fish. Hopefully they can bring some championships home and bring that championship spirit here,” she added.
However, the immediate focus right now remains on Clemson. With Poppie openly backing his team’s chances, Thursday’s clash presents South Carolina with another opportunity to defend its No. 1 standing.
Also Read:
“Sometimes You Get a Little Pushback”: Dawn Staley Makes Honest Admission About South Carolina
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in tennis, college football, men’s college basketball, women’s college basketball, and college baseball!