Dawn Staley's tweet led South Carolina to Coppin State to uplift HBCUs

A tweet from South Carolina coach Dawn Staley helped arrange games with Coppin State and other HBCUs; South Carolina won the recent visit 90-48 and the Baltimore crowd of 3,371 was reported as the second-highest in Coppin State history.

No. 2 South Carolina traveled to Coppin State on Sunday after the teams met earlier in the season. The matchup traces back to an August 2024 tweet from Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley seeking an opponent to finish South Carolina’s 2024–25 schedule. South Carolina hosted Coppin State on Nov. 14, 2024, and returned to Baltimore for the recent game. South Carolina won the latest meeting 90-48. Key details: - In August 2024, Dawn Staley posted that she needed a game and invited interest from HBCUs while completing South Carolina’s schedule. - South Carolina hosted Coppin State on Nov. 14, 2024, and later played at Coppin State, where the Gamecocks won 90-48. - The reported attendance at the Baltimore game was 3,371, described as the second-highest crowd in Coppin State history, behind a Dec. 2023 game against LSU. - Coppin State coach Darrel Mosley said the matchup can generate significant gate revenue; he noted regular games draw about 200 fans and larger events can draw thousands. - Staley has said adding HBCUs to South Carolina’s schedule is meant to increase visibility and support for those programs. Summary: The visit increased attendance and revenue opportunities for Coppin State while providing an early-season matchup for South Carolina. Undetermined at this time.