gettyimages-2115804595-1-1.jpg
Getty Images

ALBANY, N.Y. --  The South Carolina Gamecocks are a perfect 35-0 heading into their Elite Eight matchup against Oregon State on Sunday. 

So, how will the 40% percent of CBS NCAA Women's Bracket Challenge participants who picked the Gamecocks to win it all feel after hearing head coach Dawn Staley say she's "uncomfortably comfortable" about her team?

"Yeah, I'm worried every day," Staley said Saturday. "Every day. Every single day.

"They're still very young. They've had young moments. They've had mature moments. They've had questionable moments." 

South Carolina's most recent scare came against Indiana. The Gamecocks blew a 22-point lead and found themselves in a two-point game with 1:08 left in regulation. Raven Johnson was perfect 3-of-3 from the perimeter, and her biggest 3-pointer came with less than a minute to go. The sophomore guard helped South Carolina keep the Hoosiers at bay to remain undefeated. 

"All I could think was, 'Let it go. I don't want to lose,'" Johnson said after the game. "Nobody can sag off me this year, and I take that very personal. And I get in the gym every day and put up reps and I think that's where it comes from, the confidence."

Johnson and her teammates have a healthy dose of confidence. While it's too much for Staley at times, the Hall of Fame coach knows there is a time to let them be. 

"We have fun, and it does make coach uncomfortable," Johnson said. "But I think she's getting used to it. Like she getting used to this team playing around ... It's just a bond that we have and a sisterhood that we have." 

In that way, Staley says her team embraces the motto of the season: love. So, although Staley will not shy away from admitting the team makes her uncomfortable at times, she's embraced who they are. 

"I mean, I really love this team, one, for just being their organic selves," Staley said. "We've tried to change them. We've tried to get them to focus a little bit longer. But they've created this identity where they hold each other accountable. They are in lockstep with each other." 

And it's worked. However, that doesn't mean Staley and her coaching staff are ready to abandon their cautiously optimistic approach.

"We called it this -- even our coaches were like, 'Are you drinking the Kool-Aid?' A lot of times we're saying, 'We're sipping, but we're not going to take a full gulp, as to how good this team is," Staley said.