The Gamecock women's basketball team will look back on 2020 as "what could have been".
Carolina left the SEC Tournament in Greenville this past Sunday with another tournament title in its possession after a 76-62 victory over Mississippi State. That was the fifth conference tournament title in the last six seasons for the garnet and black.
The top-ranked team in the country was expected to be the number one overall seed and that meant after hosting the first two rounds at the Colonial Life Arena, the team would likely be sent to the Upstate for the Greenville Regional. Assuming the wins continued, the next stop would be the Final Four in New Orleans.
But now, all of the anticipation of a second national championship in four years will have to wait until 2021 after the NCAA announced Thursday afternoon that is cancelling all winter and spring sports championships.
USC's final record will be 32-1 with a program record 26-game winning streak which will now be taken into next season.
Gamecock head basketball coach Dawn Staley released the following statement concerning the cancellations of the NCAA tournaments -
"This is a difficult time with so many conflicting emotions. First and foremost, we have to recognize how important it is to do the right thing for our community. Sports is a big part of our lives, but just one part of how we are connected to each other. We need to step back and think about the larger good served by canceling events that put people at risk.
"As competitors, we are certainly disappointed that we will not have the opportunity to contend for a second National Championship. That said, it will not diminish the way we look at our season, how we value our body of work over the last few four months. We have measured ourselves against the best in the country over that time, and will embrace and relish that accomplishment.
"For our seniors and the others throughout the country, who will not have the chance to finish their careers the way they expected to - that's a tougher, more emotional thing to process. Again, we have to lean on that this is the right thing for everyone's health and safety."
