Dawn Staley stood composed with her arms crossed, eyes locked ahead, as the final seconds of South Carolina’s season ticked away. The Gamecocks had just suffered an 82-59 loss to UConn in Sunday’s national championship, a defeat that would put an end to their quest for a second consecutive title.
For Staley, there was no heartbreak. “You can see it happening in real-time, and you can understand why you got beat,” she said, reflecting on the Gamecocks’ performance.
South Carolina’s ambition to repeat as champions came to a halt in a game that saw them outplayed on nearly every front. It wasn’t just a one-off mistake that led to the loss, but a series of missteps that added up over the course of the 40-minute contest. UConn’s Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd, and Sarah Strong were in perfect harmony, executing their game plan to perfection. The lead grew to 32 midway through the fourth quarter, and despite Staley’s best efforts with various lineups, nothing could slow the Huskies’ dominance.
The Gamecocks entered the championship game seeking to become the first repeat champions since 2016 and to secure Staley’s third title in four years. But their season, although successful, was far from perfect. The loss to UConn was the final blow, but it was not the sole reason their journey to repeat was incomplete.
Despite a strong 2024-25 campaign, which saw South Carolina lose only four games, the Huskies exposed weaknesses that Staley had already started considering. “You start thinking about in real-time what we need if (we’re) put in this situation again to be better and to have a different outcome,” she admitted after the game.
This season, South Carolina didn’t focus on perfection, unlike the previous one. From the beginning of summer workouts, coaches didn’t talk about streaks. Instead, they emphasized building effective habits—playing together, rebounding, defending, and maintaining hunger. For most of the season, they achieved those goals, but UConn proved to be an unassailable obstacle.
The Gamecocks’ previous loss to UConn came in mid-February, a brutal 29-point defeat in Columbia that ended a 71-game home win streak. It was a humbling moment, and redshirt junior Raven Johnson described the defeat as “embarrassing.” However, the team responded by taking accountability, with senior guard Te-Hina Paopao offering an apology during a film session, and the team bouncing back to win the rest of their games.
But the rematch in Tampa was a different story. South Carolina was out-rebounded, outscored in the paint, and allowed more points off turnovers than they scored. The result was a commanding defeat, and despite Staley’s vocal encouragement from the bench, the game slipped further away.
Unlike past championship teams led by superstars like A’ja Wilson, Aliyah Boston, or Kamilla Cardoso, this Gamecocks team lacked a single standout player. Instead, it had a more unpredictable approach, which made them hard to game-plan against, but also left them without a clear go-to scorer. As the team trailed by 20 heading into the final quarter, Staley was asked who would step up. She had no clear answer.
Sophomore guard MiLaysia Fulwiley played limited minutes, and freshman star Joyce Edwards struggled, unable to make a significant impact. As the game wore on, the Gamecocks didn’t have a double-digit scorer until the fourth quarter.
Looking forward, Staley knows her roster will undergo changes. With seniors Bree Hall, Sania Feagin, and Paopao graduating, and possibly Raven Johnson leaving for the pro ranks, the team needs experienced players who can contribute right away. “We need some experienced players that can come in and contribute immediately and bring some leadership,” Staley said.
Staley also praised her seniors for their sacrifice, acknowledging how rare it is in today’s era of constant transfers and roster changes. As the program prepares for another season with two top-25 recruits coming in, Staley will continue balancing the demands of a competitive roster with maintaining the team’s culture.
After the game, Staley told her players to feel the sting of defeat but also to hold their heads high. Despite the loss, South Carolina’s legacy remains intact—an elite program at the pinnacle of women’s college basketball.
As the Gamecocks boarded the team bus, with the sun setting outside, Staley reflected on UConn’s dominance, saying, “We tried to throw a lot at them, and they rose above it. They rose above it all.”
South Carolina has been on the winning side of that equation before. Now, they were reminded of what it feels like to fall short in a championship game.
