COLUMBIA, SC (WJBF)- It used to be a sold-out public at Colonial Presen Area, as ESPN’s School Gameday made the go back and forth to preview the matchup between the South Carolina Gamecocks and the UConn Huskies. At the beginning, the ESPN display used to be intended to be in Columbia when LSU got here to the city previous this date, however mom nature and the snow mentioned in a different way. The excitement within the development previous to tipoff felt like a gathering between two of one of the crucial perfect groups’ girls’s faculty basketball has to trade in.
“There are more big games now than there used to be, and they’ve involved more than UConn and South Carolina,” mentioned UConn head tutor Geno Auriemma. “There are a lot more games that people are interested in watching. I’m very proud of that, because that means our sport is growing. It’s a great rivalry, and it became one when they started winning, it’s one of the premier games in college basketball.”
The Gamecocks got here into the matchup in quest of their 72nd consecutive victory at Colonial Presen Area. Alternatively, the UConn Huskies had alternative plans, handing South Carolina their first house loss since 2020. Geno Auriemma is the best-ever winningest tutor in NCAA basketball historical past, so the 11-time nationwide champion has ready his avid gamers to conserve a profitable mentality in antagonistic environments like the only they confronted nowadays in Columbia.
“It was a collective mindset. It was a good vibe, everyone felt great going into this game. We had yet to play a full forty minutes of good basketball this season,” mentioned UConn cover Azzi Fudd. “Whether it was going to be a close game, a battle the whole way through, we were ready for whatever they threw at us. We never let up.”
When requested if UConn performed a close very best recreation? Head tutor Geno Auriemma says he bases that off of 3 parts: rebounding, transition protection, and offense. The Huskies have persevered very best, undefeated seasons within the life. Sunday’s recreation proved to be about as flawless because it will get.
“To me, the idea of playing perfect basketball is more about decision making, making sure we’re connected and playing five on five, players in tuned with each other, getting contributions from a lot of people at key times. I’ve come down and won by a lot and have gotten smacked a bit a couple times. I know how hard it is to play on the road with a great program like this,” Auriemma mentioned.
The UConn Huskies didn’t let the rowdy order shake them, as they took a 21-14 top going into the second one quarter. They had been on hearth offensively, draining seven 3 guidelines within the first part unwanted. The Gamecocks had been in unfamiliar space, unwell 45-23 on the part. The shortage proved to be excess to conquer, because the Huskies picked up proper the place they left off in the second one part. South Carolina suffered their first blowout 87-58 lack of the season; a sense the Gamecocks were nowhere close acquainted with.
“I mean you get back to your habits, we’re not going to change what we’re doing. A loss like this isn’t about anything besides keeping the main thing the main thing. We have to figure that out with our players and get back to who we are,” mentioned South Carolina head tutor First light Staley.
Offensively, South Carolina’s Joyce Edwards as soon as once more led the staff in scoring. The Freshman scored 17 issues, however it used to be nowhere close plenty to check UConn’s dominant efficiency from begin to end. To check, UConn’s Azzi Fudd poured in 28 issues, Sarah Sturdy had 16 issues, and Paige Bueckers chipped in 12 issues. Defensively, it used to be essentially the most issues South Carolina had giving up all season.
“When you hit 13 threes in the game, it’s damaging from a psychological point on defense. They had their way with us, no point in trying to find a silver lining of it, because we got beat bad,” Staley mentioned.
“We got punked today, it was embarrassing. A lot of it was self-inflicted and it’s not who we are at all,” mentioned South Carolina cover Te-Hina Paopao. “We couldn’t get stops or play defense, we know we’re better than that. A lot of it was about effort and toughness and we didn’t do that, so it’s a great learning opportunity for us.”
The Gamecocks will regroup and put this recreation in the back of them, as they host the Arkansas Razorbacks on Thursday, February 20. Tip-off is ready for 7 p.m.
