No. 2 South Carolina seeking steadiness after SEC crown

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina coach Dawn Staley believes her latest Southeastern Conference champions are better equipped to handle what’s next than her first group a season ago.

Staley and the Gamecocks were in the midst of breakthrough season in 2014 and celebrated the school’s first Southeastern Conference on their home floor, league commissioner Mike Slive on hand to present the trophy.

The party, though, was largely over as South Carolina couldn’t live up to expectations in the SEC tournament and the NCAAs as a No. 1 seed.

The No. 2 Gamecocks (27-1, 15-0 SEC) again clinched a share of their second championship with Thursday night’s 71-66 victory over No. 11 Mississippi State. They can win the title outright as they close the regular season at No. 13 Kentucky (20-8, 9-6) Sunday.