South Carolina’s 71-game home winning streak came to a shocking end on Sunday as UConn routed the Gamecocks 87-58.
The 29-point margin of victory was South Carolina’s largest deficit of the season. That was also the margin of victory (77-48) when the teams met in 2008, Dawn Staley’s first season at South Carolina.
It was probably a bad omen when Bree Hall sheepishly walked into the arena late.
The day began with a live two-hour broadcast of College GameDay from the baseline at Colonial Life Arena. It was a celebration of all things garnet and black, but the game was a celebration of blue and white.
Win tickets to the South Carolina-Arkansas women’s basketball game
Joyce Edwards made a layup to put South Carolina up 11-9, but then UConn took over. The Huskies went on a 22-3 run spanning the first and second quarters (12-3 in the first, 10-0 to start the second).
South Carolina tried to get back into the game with a 7-0 run, and the crowd was ready to explode after MiLaysia Fulwiley made a fast break layup. But Gen Auriemma called a timeout to settle things down, and UConn finished the second quarter on a 14-2 run.
It was easily the worst quarter of the season for the Gamecocks. They scored a season-low nine points and gave up a season-high 24 points. That is not a recipe for success. The 22-point halftime deficit surpassed the 21-point halftime deficit at UCLA as the worst of the season.
South Carolina failed to adapt to what UConn wanted to do on offense. The Huskies wanted to push tempo and space the floor to get three-pointers early in the shot clock.
When they had to execute in the halfcourt it was more of a struggle, but the Gamecocks didn’t run back and guard the three-point line enough for it to matter.
The loss ended South Carolina’s 71-game home winning streak, the fourth-longest in NCAA history. The last home loss was 54-46 to NC State on December 3, 2020.
This is a developing story. Stay with GamecockCentral for continuing coverage…
