South-Carolina
As Dawn Staley, South Carolina pursue perfection, what Geno Auriemma might say | Toppmeyer
Watch: Kamilla Cardoso discusses winning 3-pointer for South Carolina
Kamilla Cardoso discusses her buzzer-beating 3-pointer to lift South Carolina past Tennessee in the SEC Tournament.
Geno Auriemma once described the pursuit of perfection as an unwelcome passenger on a season’s journey – so much so that he welcomed a regular-season loss.
“Fifteen or 20 years ago, there was only one thought in my mind: We need to win every single game. … The last couple years, I’d go into every big game on ESPN going, ‘Man, I hope today’s the day we get our ass kicked,’” Auriemma, UConn’s women’s basketball coach, told reporters in 2018.
Auriemma’s insight came from a coach who’s achieved six undefeated seasons, but he’d developed this idea later in his career that experiencing a loss forces a team to regroup.
No women’s hoops program has finished as undefeated national champions since Auriemma’s Huskies in 2016.
Dawn Staley’s South Carolina Gamecocks are trying to become the first SEC team to finish undefeated since the Tennessee Lady Vols went 39-0 en route to cementing their three-peat in 1998.
The Gamecocks (32-0) have been ranked No. 1 in the polls every week since Nov. 13.
After four months of carrying that crown, it’s starting to look heavy – despite what the Gamecocks may say.
“It’s no pressure,” Gamecocks guard Te-Hina Paopao said before the SEC Tournament.
Well, then, maybe the season’s grind is simply taking its toll.
The Gamecocks will enter the NCAA Tournament undefeated, but not invincible.
In the SEC Tournament, USC looked as vulnerable as it’s been at any point this season. The Gamecocks shot just 43% from the field in conference tournament victories against Tennessee and LSU.
They required the fortune of a buzzer-beating banked 3-pointer to beat the Lady Vols in the semifinals.
As Pat Summitt would say years after her only undefeated season, navigating a season without a loss requires a team to experience “some luck, stay healthy and get a break or two.”
South Carolina cashed in its good fortune against Tennessee.
The Lady Vols led by two points with 1.1 seconds remaining when they inexplicably decided not to defend South Carolina’s best player, Kamilla Cardoso, off a sideline inbounds pass.
Tennessee’s first mistake? Not guarding inbounds passer Raven Johnson, who enjoyed a clean path to trigger the pass.
Its second mistake? Leaving Cardoso alone at the free-throw line. No defender was within 8 feet of her.
Its final mistake? Letting a Gamecock get an open look at a 3. When only a 3 can beat you, defend the arc. Tennessee didn’t. Instead of remaining at the free-throw line, Cardoso drifted out a few more feet to catch the inbounds at the top of the arc.
Cardoso had attempted just one 3-pointer in her career. As an opponent, you don’t know if she can make that shot. You don’t know she can’t, either.
She could – and did.
To call Tennessee’s collapse a case of coaching and defensive malpractice would be an insult to those who commit malpractice.
Perfect record retained, amid an imperfect performance.
A day later, South Carolina led LSU by just a single point with fewer than five minutes remaining before digging in to protect the lead. Bree Hall made a couple of clutch baskets to provide breathing room.
Hall’s late-game 3-pointers also rallied the Gamecocks past LSU in Baton Rouge two months ago.
Hall ranks fifth on the team in scoring. That’s South Carolina’s super power. It’s a deep team that depends on no single player to beat an opponent.
South Carolina’s enviable depth of talent makes it a rightful favorite entering the Big Dance, but the Gamecocks were also the undefeated favorite entering last year’s tournament. They lost to Iowa in the semifinals.
Only four coaches have achieved an undefeated NCAA championship: Auriemma, Summitt, Kim Mulkey (Baylor) and Jody Conradt (Texas).
As I consider Cardoso’s semifinal buzzer-beater against Tennessee, I think the Gamecocks may have been better served had it rimmed out.
The pressure of going undefeated would’ve been gone. The Gamecocks still would’ve enjoyed a No. 1 NCAA seed. A loss could’ve helped recalibrate them and provided extra motivation for this stretch run.
South Carolina takes aim at becoming the NCAA’s 10th undefeated national champion. UConn accounts for six of those perfect seasons – and Auriemma’s experience tells him that perfection can be more of a hindrance than a helper in pursuit of a championship.
Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s SEC Columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @btoppmeyer.
A digital subscription will allow you access to all of his coverage. Also, check out his podcast, SEC Football Unfiltered, or access exclusive columns via the SEC Unfiltered newsletter.
South Carolina sees early voting records in opening two days
Record early voting in South Carolina: 56,000 (May 26), 34,000 (May 27). Early voting ends June 5; primary is June 9.
South Carolina voters will head to the polls in less than a week to vote in the 2026 primary election, which determines candidates moving on to the general election in November.
This year’s primary election will happen on June 9. South Carolina registered voters will be able to choose a Republican or a Democratic ballot, and their votes will decide the party’s candidate nominees for election day on Nov. 3.
When are SC polls open for 2026 primary election?
Early voting for the primaries run from May 26 to June 5, and the polls are open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mondays through Fridays. Primary election day is June 9, and the polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. A runoff election will happen on June 23 if no candidate running in each race gets more than 50% of the vote.
Where do I vote and what do I need to take?
Voters can find their polling place and sample ballots on the South Carolina State Election Commission’s website. A sample ballot shows which races and candidates will appear on a voter’s election day ballot.
South Carolinians will also need to bring a photo ID to the poll, which can include a South Carolina driver’s license, a state department of motor vehicles ID card, a federal military ID or a U.S. passport.
Which offices are on the ballot?
South Carolina will elect several high-profile seats this year, including governor, the U.S. House of Representatives, and one seat in the U.S. Senate. All seats in the South Carolina House of Representatives and five seats in the Greenville County Council are also up for election this year.
Spartanburg County will elect three county council seats and the chairman position. Seven seats in the Anderson County Council are up for election this year, but only five seats have contested primaries.
South Carolina attorney general, state treasurer, secretary of state, comptroller general, education secretary and agriculture commission are also up for election.
Bella Carpentier covers the South Carolina legislature, state, and Greenville County politics. Contact her at bcarpentier@gannett.com
COLUMBIA — Three candidates seeking to become South Carolina’s first Democratic governor in more than two decades squared off in fiery rebuttals on live television June 3.
State Rep. Jermaine Johnson, attorney Mullins McLeod and businessman Billy Webster debated for an hour during SCETV’s Democratic gubernatorial square-off where McLeod attacked the other two candidates almost every chance he got to speak.
It was the second SCETV debate this week and all three candidates participated, compared with the Republican debate June 1 where only half the six candidates appeared.
Nearly every question, McLeod exceeded his allotted time, often using his messaging to attack his opponents.
Democrats face long odds in the November general election. The Palmetto State has not elected a Democratic governor in more than a quarter-century, and the party’s prospects have diminished in recent election cycles.
But the three candidates on the debate stage made it known they’re not afraid of the challenge.
“In this state there are at least 1.1 million people who are willing to vote for a Democrat and a Black person statewide,” Johnson said on his odds of winning, referencing the number of people who voted for Jaime Harrison in 2020 against Republican U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham.
And while it wasn’t mentioned during the debate, Democratic early voter turnout has reached historic levels this election cycle. On the first day of early voting, Democratic primary voters outnumbered Republicans more than four-to-one, about 46,000 to 10,000. Early voting will end June 5.
While the three candidates largely agreed on broader policy like Medicaid and abortion access, they did have some key differences in opinions on issues like gambling and even how to work with the legislature.
Where candidates agreed
The three men largely agreed there are major issues that need to be addressed in the state’s health care systems, but went about addressing them in different ways.
Medicaid expansion was something all three candidates broadly agreed on, specifically tied to ensuring the state decreases the rise in infant mortality rates. All three believed there is corruption in the government.
All candidates had issues with data centers. McLeod labeled himself as the only anti-data center candidate, while Johnson boasted about his Statehouse experience in introducing a moratorium to stop data centers from coming into the state. Webster poked at flaws surrounding promises of transparency associated with the projects and the environmental hazards the centers bring.
Both Webster and Johnson went after Republicans who have campaigned on getting rid of the state income tax, saying it was unrealistic for the state to do so.
“We cannot eliminate the state income tax and even have a state that is recognizable in 10 years,” Webster said.
Where they disagreed
There were some stark disagreements, including how to go about working with the legislature. Johnson and Webster reflected on their time working across the aisle with Republicans while McLeod said bipartisanship is not the answer.
“More politics is not the answer. Bipartisanship is not the answer” McLeod said. “You know what’s been missing? The truth, the light … servant leaders who are willing to stand for the people of South Carolina.”
Public education was another area the candidates differed. Webster said there needs to be less regulations and restrictions on South Carolina teachers so that they are not so weighed down by requirements. Johnson proposed adding universal pre-K and McLeod said he wanted to pay teachers $85,000-$100,000 per year.
Candidates also had different answers on gambling. Johnson reflected on personal experiences where he saw gambling bring havoc to his family, but said the opening of casinos in South Carolina could be possible with great oversight. Webster said he didn’t have enough knowledge on the topic but could see the benefits that casinos could bring in the form of jobs in counties like Orangeburg if given proper regulation. McLeod said gambling causes problems and was against the opening of casinos.
Surprises
Much of the campaign attacks from Democratic candidates have been directed at Republicans, not necessarily each other. But the night was different.
Multiple times during the debate, McLeod went over his allotted time to try to attack Johnson or Webster. Both candidates repeated the same response in return, sometimes laughing, saying they had no idea what McLeod was talking about.
McLeod continued to reference both Webster and Johnson as being part of the corruption in South Carolina that he could “shine a light” on. He referred to himself as a servant more than six times.
“If you’re going to be on the stage and run for governor, you better start checking your facts,” Webster said to McLeod.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) – A ceremonial bill signing was held We Wednesday for a new law that enhances penalties for harming police animals in South Carolina.
H.3034 – also known as Fargo’s, Hyco’s, Rico’s, Coba’s, Wick’s, Mikka’s, and Bumi’s Law – was passed and ratified by state lawmakers in May.
The bill is named after seven police K-9’s lost in recent years acros South Carolina.
Gov. Henry McMaster later signed the bill into law, with it going into effect on May 15.
The law makes killing or severely injuring a police animal, such as a K-9 or horse, punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
It also states that anyone convicted of that crime must pay back the full cost of the animal – including buying a new one, training and any veterinarian bills. The law also makes it a crime to fire at a police vehicle if an animal is inside.
Police are also required by law to keep detailed records when a K-9 bites or causes injury.
Feel more informed, prepared, and connected with WIS. For more free content like this, subscribe to our email newsletter, and download our apps. Have feedback that can help us improve? Click here.
Copyright 2026 WIS. All rights reserved.
-
Los Angeles, Ca1 hour agoOvernight military training brings loud flash bangs, simulated gunfire to quiet Pasadena neighborhood
-
Detroit, MI2 hours agoDetroit Lions add UDFA rookie WR during OTAs
-
San Francisco, CA2 hours agoHow to watch San Francisco Giants vs. Milwaukee Brewers
-
Dallas, TX2 hours ago3 different Cowboys 53-man roster projections pinpoint contested roster spots
-
Miami, FL2 hours agoJeff Hafley suggests Miami Dolphins entertain Malik Willis Tush Push
-
Boston, MA2 hours agoKaren Read sues the police agencies that investigated her Boston police boyfriend’s death
-
Denver, CO2 hours agoPedestrian dies after hit by car on southbound E-470, Aurora police say
-
Seattle, WA2 hours agoSeattle paying $2.6M to settle sexual harassment lawsuit filed by four female SPD officers – MyNorthwest.com
