Abdelrahman
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Dawn Staley managed a smile as she entered the post-game press conference, her loyal canine companion, Champ, closely following her.
“He’s my emotional support dog,” Staley quipped lightheartedly.
The head coach of South Carolina and her reigning national champions are certainly in need of some encouragement after witnessing the end of a remarkable 71-game home winning streak at the boisterous Colonial Life Arena, which was concluded with an 87-58 defeat against No. 7 UConn on Sunday.
This setback follows another significant loss, as top-ranked UCLA snapped the Gamecocks’ overall winning streak last November with a 77-62 win. Just a week earlier, South Carolina lost to No. 3 Texas, 66-62, marking the conclusion of an impressive 57-game regular-season streak in the Southeastern Conference.
This latest defeat marks the end of a streak that commenced after a 54-46 loss to North Carolina State on December 3, 2020. The team had consistently filled their 18,000-seat arena with eager fans who were thrilled to witness the Gamecocks’ growing collection of victories.
The arena was once again packed on Sunday, with all 18,000 seats filled, as fans hoped to see the Gamecocks extend their record-setting run.
However, it was UConn’s Azzi Fudd, Sarah Strong, and coach Geno Auriemma who employed tenacious defense and a relentless offensive strategy to halt South Carolina’s four-game winning streak in their series.
Fudd led the scoring with 28 points, including six three-pointers, while Strong, the nation’s top incoming prospect this season, contributed 16 points and 13 rebounds.
Fudd expressed that she and her teammates did not foresee such a dominant victory. “But we were prepared for anything they threw at us,” she noted.
Strong’s mother, Allison Feaster, a South Carolina native, once held the high school scoring record in the state and was a former teammate of Staley’s with the WNBA’s Charlotte Sting.
“She’s impressive,” Staley remarked about Strong. “We were eager to recruit her.”
The Gamecocks quickly fell behind by double digits in the second quarter, trailing 45-23 at halftime.
South Carolina’s Te’Hina Paopao acknowledged the team’s missteps, saying they did not deliver a strong performance against the Huskies.
“We need to learn and grow from this experience,” she stated. “We have to improve our effort and show greater mental and physical toughness.”
Staley shared her thoughts on the team’s lack of effort in this loss, suggesting they would receive a failing grade if graded as college students.
“They dictated the game,” Staley admitted. “There’s no silver lining to find. We were decisively defeated.”
Staley emphasized the need for the Gamecocks to return to their defensive and offensive fundamentals that propelled them to a strong 22-1 start before struggling with two losses in their last three games.
“I believe we’re experiencing some mental and physical fatigue,” she said. “It’s the rigors of the season. But there comes a time for regrouping and recapturing that energy.”
