Story byChantel JenningsSun, February 15, 2026 at 5:31 AM UTC·3 min readFor women’s basketball, it was the first-ever Saturday night game on prime-time ABC. For South Carolina, it was the program’s 18th consecutive win over LSU. For Dawn Staley, it was the 500th win of her coaching career. But from a raucous Pete Maravich Assembly Center — where the crowd was celebrating not only women’s hoops but also Valentine’s Day and Mardi Gras — the game was a marker that South Carolina, though not the national championship favorite this year, has players who will find their moments on the biggest stage.
