Staley, VanDerveer back Griner at S Carolina-Stanford game

(AP) - South Carolina coach Dawn Staley and Hall of Fame Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer each wore white long-sleeved T-shirts featuring Brittney Griner’s name and image during their game Sunday.

Top-ranked South Carolina topped No. 2 Stanford 76-71 in overtime in a matchup of the past two NCAA champions.

Before South Carolina boarded the bus and left Maples Pavilion, Staley had her Gamecocks write letters to Griner.

On the arena concourse, a “Dear BG” table with an invitation to “Write a letter to Brittney Griner” collected hundreds of hand-written messages.

The 32-year-old Griner is serving a nine-year sentence for drug possession at a Russian penal colony.

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