Vice president Kamala Harris visits South Carolina women's basketball, gets game ball

South Carolina women’s basketball had a notable and unexpected visitor to its shootaround Monday.

Practicing in the hours leading up to their game against Kentucky on Monday night, the Gamecocks received a visit from Vice President Kamala Harris, who walked out on the court at Colonial Life Arena alongside South Carolina coach Dawn Staley.

Harris was greeted with cheers, clapping and cries of excitement from the Gamecocks’ players, with multiple members of the team reaching out to high-five her.

Harris had been in Columbia earlier in the day speaking outside the South Carolina State House as part of an event held by the NAACP on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

At South Carolina’s practice, Harris was presented with an autographed game ball by Staley.

The Gamecocks are the No. 1 team in the most recent USA TODAY Coaches Poll. At 15-0, they’re the lone remaining undefeated team at the Division I level. Only two of their 15 victories this season have come by fewer than 15 points.