To say Dawn Staley and South Carolina women's basketball played in a hostile environment Thursday is an understatement.

But Staley couldn't help but joke about the passion of the sold-out crowd at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center after the No. 1 Gamecocks' 76-70 win over No. 9 LSU (18-3, 5-2 SEC). A reporter asked Staley about the "crazy" crowd, which wasn't "very friendly to you."

"Actually they were. They were calling me boo," Staley said with a chuckle, drawing laughter from the room of reporters.

But whatever "boo's" the crowd directed at Staley were part of the incredible atmosphere. The game, the matchup and the crowd "had all the dynamics of what you want every women's basketball player to experience," Staley said.

The announced attendance of the sellout was 13,205, and every single fan made themselves heard throughout the matchup that has become an SEC rivalry. South Carolina (18-0, 6-0) rallied from a double-digit deficit that was as large as 11 points in the first half.

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But Staley complimented the atmosphere in Baton Rouge, which was just the latest example of the growth of women's basketball.

"I think what we are witnessing is something truly special," Staley said. "The atmosphere here, I mean, everything. I've never seen as many people in any plaza, for a regular-season game anyway. The energy that was in this building was great, even though we're on the other side of it. I love being in the gym with people who are really loving up on women's basketball to this level. But it's not going anywhere, it's only going to get bigger."

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Dawn Staley jokes hostile LSU vs. South Carolina crowd called her 'boo'