The South Carolina Gamecocks stay in the locker room while Louisville’s team takes the field for the national anthem. Ben Solomon/NCAA Photos via Getty Images
The South Carolina Gamecocks stayed in the locker room during the national anthem at the Final Four.
Dawn Staley’s team didn’t come out for the anthem during home games or this year’s NCAA tournament.
Louisville – South Carolina’s Final Four opponents – was on the court and provided the anthem.
The South Carolina Gamecocks stayed in the locker room as the national anthem was played before the Final Four.
The Louisville Cardinals – South Carolina’s national semifinal opponents – played as a team.
Dawn Staley’s senior squad has protested in some form during the national anthem since at least January 2021 “to raise awareness of racial injustice in our country,” as Staley himself told Andscape’s Sean Hurd.
The anthem is not played at the Gamecocks’ home games, but “if opposing teams play the anthem while we’re in the locker room, then we choose to stay in the locker room,” Staley continued.
Dawn Staley.Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports
South Carolina has stayed true to that philosophy throughout this year’s NCAA tournament, according to Beat reporters, who have covered the Gamecocks’ entire run. But until now, all of her NCAA opponents had stayed off the ground for the anthem, too.
The Cardinals players and coaches stood side by side, arms crossed. Some team members held their hands to their hearts and sang along.
The winner of Friday night’s first national semifinals will face either the Stanford Cardinal or the UConn Huskies in Sunday’s title game. In the half, South Carolina leads Louisville 34-28.
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