Duke coach Kara Lawson is plenty familiar with South Carolina coach Dawn Staley.

The two have crossed paths plenty in life, with USA Basketball bringing plenty of opportunities for both to interact and get to know each other.

“She was an assistant coach on the team in Beijing that I played on, and then when I was coaching the three-on-three team or preparing to coach the three-on-three team in Tokyo, she was the five-on-five coach,” Lawson said on Saturday.

“During COVID we had training camps down in Columbia, so I went down there and worked three-on-three and got to do some court coaching with the five-on-five team with her as the coach.”

Heading into a key Elite Eight matchup against each other on Sunday, familiarity will certainly be a factor for everyone on the floor.

The Blue Devils will face South Carolina in the two teams’ second matchup of the season on Sunday at noon in the Elite Eight in Birmingham, with both rosters remembering plenty from the last game.

Both teams faced off in a game as part of the SEC/ACC Challenge on Dec. 5, with South Carolina winning the matchup 81-70.

The Gamecocks shot 57.4% from the field as a team, led by a strong performance from Chloe Kitts that saw her go 9-for-14 from the field; she had a double-double for 21 points and 11 rebounds.

“I remember the game being physical and it was very a high-intensity, fast-paced game which I expect tomorrow as well,” Duke’s Jadyn Donovan said. “I think the biggest thing for us tomorrow is executing offensively and continuing our defense energy that we have had all season.”

Sania Feagin, who had 11 points for South Carolina against Duke to join Kitts and Te-Hina Paopao in double figures, also remembers the matchup as being tough as the Blue Devils brought plenty of energy to the floorl

“They played for forty minutes straight, they go hard,” she said. “You can’t take our foot off the gas and just keep playing.”

Staley echoed the appreciation for Lawson when asked about the two’s relationship, saying their friendship is “of respect.”

“I respect the success that Kara is having at Duke,” Staley said. “I respect the fact that she has been in our game for a long time at different stops, you know, commentating, NBA assistant. I think she did radio for the Wizards, or maybe it was TV. I just respect the fact that she has given to our game for a very long time. She is an Olympian, she is an Olympic assistant coach.

“For someone that has devoted and served our game as long as she has, you’ve got to tip your hat to her.”

Duke sophomore Oluchi Okananwa said the defense will be a key part of the Blue Devils’ game on Sunday, especially after the incredible shooting game the Gamecocks proved they were capable of in December.

South Carolina shot 50% from beyond the arc along with going 31-for-54 from the field in the December matchup.

“I know for sure what we talked about was that was not Duke defense, that was not us, that was not what we allow,” Okananwa said. “We did not key in on the details like we usually do. So that, too, is another big emphasis for us tomorrow.”

Players for both South Carolina and Duke have taken note of the growth of the teams this season, with that providing another factor in Sunday’s matchup in Birmingham.

“Both teams have played a lot of games,” Duke’s Delaney Thomas said. “I think playing and that experience, getting that chemistry together helps for both teams, but I think that’s going to be a big key for us next game.”