South Carolina’s incredible season came to a disappointing end in the national championship game, as the Gamecocks fell to UConn 82-59. After building momentum through the tournament and looking like the most complete team in the country at times, Dawn Staley’s squad couldn’t finish the job on the biggest stage.
This one hurts. South Carolina came in with confidence, physicality, and a roster full of players who had been in big games before. But from the start, UConn looked like the more composed team. Paige Bueckers played like a superstar, and Azzi Fudd’s shooting was impossible to contain. The Huskies’ offense was crisp, and their defense flustered the Gamecocks into tough shots and turnovers.
South Carolina struggled to generate clean looks, and even when they did, the shots didn’t fall. Their interior size, usually a major advantage, was neutralized by UConn’s spacing and speed. When the Gamecocks needed a run to stay in it, UConn responded every single time.
It’s a tough way to end what was still a successful and impressive year. South Carolina dealt with adversity this season and still made it all the way back to the national title game. They earned every win along the way. But on Sunday, they ran into a team that just had all the answers.
Despite the loss, the Gamecocks remain one of the premier programs in women’s college basketball. With Dawn Staley leading the way and young talent continuing to rise, South Carolina will be back in this spot again soon. This one didn’t end with a championship, but the journey, effort, and pride this team showed all season won’t be forgotten.
