Dawn Staley said over and over that she wanted South Carolina and Missouri’s women’s basketball game on Monday to just be about the game, not the aftermath of last year’s game that involved a small fight, accusations of fan misconduct and a lawsuit.
She got just that, and a win to go along with it, as the Gamecocks (13-5, 5-1 SEC) rolled by the Tigers in a foul-filled 79-65 victory at Colonial Life Arena.
Outside of Staley’s pregame greeting with Mizzou coach Robin Pingeton drawing a few more cameras than usual, and South Carolina and Missouri gathering around midcourt in a circle for the national anthem, the main reminder of last year’s controversy seemed to be in the officiating, as the referees whistled a combined 45 fouls, seemingly eager to nip any ugliness in the bud.