As the seconds ticked down in the 2017 Women’s NCAA championship game, Jackson State coach Tomekia Reed watched South Carolina's Dawn Staley become only the second African American woman to win a Division 1 title.

Staley’s victory spurred Reed to believe she could hoist the championship trophy one day, joining Staley and Carolyn Peck, who became the first African American woman to win the NCAA championship while coaching Purdue in 1999.

Now in her sixth season as the Tigers' coach, Reed resumes her quest when Jackson State (26-6) plays in the first round of the 2024 Women's NCAA tournament against UConn (29-5) on Saturday (noon, ABC) at Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Connecticut.

As the No. 14 seed Tigers try to take down the No. 3 seed Huskies, Reed will carry with her a piece on inspiration gifted to her by Staley, who was inspired herself by a gift from Peck.

A piece of the net

In 2015, Peck was out of coaching and working for ESPN, doing commentary at a South Carolina game. During a pregame walk-through, Peck called Staley over and gave her a 6-inch piece of nylon net that Peck had saved from Purdue’s national championship game.

The nylon came with a string attached. Peck told Staley that once she won her own championship, she would return Peck’s net and share a piece of her own net with another African American coach.

After South Carolina won the 2017 title, Staley returned that piece of the net to Peck. When the Gamecocks won again in 2021, Staley paid things forward. But she couldn't decide which Black coach to gift with a piece of that championship net. Instead, she sent a piece to more than 70.

One of those coaches was Reed. Staley sent her a note with the piece of net secured in a plastic case right before the Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament.

The note read:

"Looking at that net, the strings knotted together to form a crucial piece of the equipment in our game, I realize that’s what we as Black women head coaches are -- a crucial part of our game at all different intersections along our journey to a National Championship.

"So, I pick ALL of you to receive this piece of our 2017 National Championship net in the hope that making our goal tangible will inspire you, as it did me, to keep pushing forward and us all to keep supporting each other in our journeys."

Reed carries the net in her book bag every day and shows her staff.  The net serves as a reminder of what she is trying to accomplish.

“I was extremely excited and recorded myself opening the envelope,” Reed said. “It meant a lot. It is not too often that a coach who wins a national championship wants to share that with other coaches. Not just other coaches but other coaches whose chances are very few in this game, and that’s Black female coaches.”

JACKSON STATE PLAYS UCONN IN NCAA GAME Jackson State women's basketball to face UConn to open March Madness in 2024 NCAA Tournament

Tomekia Reed's success at Jackson State

Reed's tenure at Jackson State has seen the basketball program accomplish uncommon things. The Tigers are making their third appearance in the NCAA women's tournament in the past four seasons. In 38 previous seasons, the program had made four appearances.

On March 4 , Jackson State received its first-ever vote in the Associated Press women’s basketball Top 25 poll. On March 18, the Tigers received their first vote in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll.

After that historic first vote, Staley was quick to show support for Reed, posting on X, formerly known as Twitter: “You’d have another vote one if I was a voter! Keep doing the BELIEVABLE!"

“Tomekia Reed is doing a great job at Jackson State,” Staley told the Clarion Ledger. “She was a great person to receive a piece of the championship net a few seasons ago. While I’m sure there are a lot of other opportunities for her, she chose to be intentional about where she wants to elevate our sports.”

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: How Dawn Staley gives Jackson State coach Tomekia Reed inspiration