Dawn Staley's dog makes special March Madness appearance

NCAA officials are usually prepared for everything at tournament news conferences, a stack of name plates at the ready for whoever appears.

Not this time, however. One member of South Carolina’s team was conspicuously overlooked at Saturday’s availability. And in the Gamecocks’ own arena, no less!

“He said until he gets a nameplate, he's not answering any questions,” South Carolina coach Dawn Staley cracked.

The “he” in question was Champ, Staley’s adorable Havanese that she got after South Carolina won the national title in 2017. Hence his name.

Champ is a popular figure among South Carolina fans, with more than 11,000 followers on social media, and he often accompanies Staley to practices and news conferences. On Saturday, he lounged on the dais while his human and her players talked. But if he had thoughts about Sunday’s matchup with North Carolina, he kept them to himself.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dawn Staley's dog makes March madness appearance for South Carolina

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