Staley hopes for even bigger milestones ahead

South Carolina's Ieasia Walker (3) reacts after defeating Tennessee 64-60 in an NCAA college basketball game on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012, in Knoxville, Tenn. South Carolina's La'Keisha Sutton (11) reacts at rear right. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina coach Dawn Staley had a message for everyone who thinks the Gamecocks reached the Rocky Top with their landmark win over Tennessee.

"I hope not," Staley said Friday. "I hope we give them more memories like winning the national championship."

Nothing seems out of reach for these Gamecocks (18-5, 7-3 Southeastern Conference), who ended a 40-game, 32-year losing streak to the Lady Vols when they rallied for a 64-60 victory Thursday night.

It was South Carolina's first-ever win in Knoxville, and the players think it's evidence they can accomplish plenty this year.

"I think I always felt like that because I always believed in my teammates," guard Lakeisha Sutton said. "But confidence-wise, it does give us a boost."

Staley said she received countless texts of congratulations from friends, fans and former South Carolina players excited about the streak-busting victory over Tennessee.

"I had to stay up until 2 a.m.," Staley said with a laugh. "But I answered them all."

For a while, this one looked as if it would be another addition to South Carolina's decades of frustration with the Lady Vols.

The Gamecocks led 46-41 with less than 14 minutes left when Tennessee, spurred on by most of the 15,000 in attendance at Thompson-Boling Arena, put together a 16-4 run.

That's when South Carolina channeled the gritty, intense play that was a hallmark of its coach during her stellar college, pro and Olympic career.

Ieshia Walker scored the go-ahead basket as the Gamecocks closed with a 14-3 surge. Markeshia Grant hit seven 3-pointers and finished with a career-high 27 points. Sutton had two key foul shots, remembering assistant coach Lisa Boyer's emphasis on converting free throws.

"I didn't want to let my team down," Sutton said. "It's weird because the night before I was telling them I thought it was going to come down to me, whether making a free throw or throwing the ball in bounds. So I'm kind of happy it turned out that way."

"Clairvoyant, too," Staley said, smiling.

The Gamecocks may have taken a big step toward another long-sought goal, the NCAA tournament.

South Carolina reached the final eight in 2002, then returned to the field the next season before falling out in the second round. Since 2003, the program has gradually declined in prominence.

Staley, hired in the spring of 2008, had overcome setbacks to develop a team built on relentless play and defense. The Gamecocks are not the tallest or most talented — Staley's two highest-profile recruits in Kelsey Bone and Kayla Brewer both transferred out less than a year after coming to campus — but they put forth the effort necessary to succeed, Staley said.

The Gamecocks had just four turnovers and did not give the ball up on a steal all game.

South Carolina has had several high points this season, including a 31-point win over North Carolina in December and a season sweep of SEC power Vanderbilt for the first time ever.

Nothing, though, could match beating Tennessee. Football coach Steve Spurrier and wife, Jerri, were in attendance to cheer on the Gamecocks, who jumped and swarmed each other when time ran out.

"It really touched us. Markeshia was crying," Sutton said. "I'm really speechless right now."

Staley was happy for her players and the rosters of former Gamecocks who never got to experience beating the Lady Vols.

"It was a proud moment for the people in the room and for others who were a part of other Gamecock eras," Staley said. "They really believed in us making history."

Staley thinks more history is ahead. The Gamecocks are closing in on 20 wins for the first time since 2003. They are three SEC victories away from tying their high-water mark of 10 league wins, set in 2002.

The coach isn't backing off now. There's plenty left to do to lock up a spot in the NCAA tournament and she says her players will have to stay hungry and focused down the stretch.

Sutton says it won't be hard to keep sharp.

"Our motto was, 'The Time Is Now,'" Sutton said. "Coach Staley kept saying that in practice. It was just an incredible amount of belief we had in each other and we got the job done."