LOS ANGELES — The top-ranked South Carolina women’s basketball team experienced a feeling they have not faced in over two and a half years: defeat. On Sunday, they were convincingly beaten 77-62 by No. 5 UCLA. This loss ended their impressive 43-game winning streak, halted their run of 33 straight victories on the road, and will likely lead to a drop from their No. 1 ranking for the first time in 23 polls.
Coach Dawn Staley commented on the game, noting, “This is what we usually do to teams. We were on the receiving end of it.” South Carolina’s last loss had been in April 2023 during the NCAA Tournament semifinals, when they fell to Caitlin Clark and Iowa.
UCLA showcased their skill by shooting 47% both from the field and beyond the arc, making 11 out of 14 free throws, and having five players reach double figures in scoring. Coach Staley acknowledged the Bruins’ execution, saying, “They actually executed our game plan to a T.”
In contrast, the Gamecocks struggled, finishing the game with a 36% shooting percentage and just two players scoring in double digits. Leading scorer Chloe Kitts was significantly limited in her performance, contributing only two points on 1 of 7 shooting. The Gamecocks never managed to take the lead, were out-rebounded 41-34, and fell behind 26-18 in points scored in the paint, along with just 8-1 in fast break points. Additionally, they only attempted eight free throws during the game.
“Our kids fought,” Staley remarked, “but we ran into a buzzsaw.” Despite efforts to contain UCLA’s standout, 6-foot-7 Lauren Betts, who recorded 11 points and 14 rebounds, South Carolina paid the price as other Bruins stepped up, with eight of their ten players contributing to the scoring. Staley observed, “We did an excellent job on Betts and we got killed by everyone else.”
Tessa Johnson was the lone Gamecock in double figures with 14 points. Staley pointed out their need for broader contributions, stating, “We needed a lot more than Tessa today.”
South Carolina struggled offensively from the outset, starting the game with an 0-for-9 shooting performance and finished the first quarter trailing 20-10. By halftime, the deficit had grown to 43-22. Staley addressed their challenges: “Our shot selection is something we’re dealing with on a daily basis.”
While the Gamecocks outscored UCLA 40-34 in the second half, the Bruins had established a commanding lead that was never in jeopardy. Staley praised her opponents for their performance: “Beautiful basketball by UCLA. You can’t help but to love up on it because it was fluid on both sides of the ball.”
Despite the loss, which came early in the season, South Carolina has ample time to adjust and improve. Staley noted, “We had some really good contributions from people that don’t play a whole lot and we could probably give a little bit more minutes to. Taking a loss will help us focus on anybody that we play.”