Dawn Staley Stands Her Ground After UConn’s Crushing Blow: “Everything’s Not Broken”
Last Sunday, the unthinkable happened in Columbia—No. 7 UConn stormed into Colonial Life Arena and shattered No. 4 South Carolina’s 71-game home win streak in brutal fashion. The Huskies didn’t just win; they dominated, handing the Gamecocks an 87-58 blowout that sent shockwaves through the women’s college basketball world. For the first time in over four years, South Carolina’s fortress had fallen.
The aftermath of this defeat has left many questioning the Gamecocks’ strength heading into March Madness. But head coach Dawn Staley? She’s not panicking.
“Yeah, the common theme is we just didn’t play like a resemblance of who we are,” Staley admitted on Wednesday, as reported by Matt Dowell. It was a message she had echoed since the final buzzer. To her, “The team that took the floor against UConn really wasn’t our team.”
What Went Wrong? The Numbers Tell the Story
South Carolina’s struggles were glaring. Their shooting was off, their rebounding was abysmal, and their defense was non-existent. The Gamecocks shot just 37.7% from the field, while UConn hit 43.7%. But the real dagger? South Carolina’s 3-for-17 performance from beyond the arc, compared to UConn’s lights-out shooting. The Huskies also dominated the boards, outrebounding the Gamecocks 48-29, suffocating any second-chance opportunities.
Even more concerning, South Carolina failed to capitalize on turnovers, converting just 4 of 10 chances. It was a brutal, lopsided loss—one that didn’t resemble the powerhouse program Staley has built.
Yet, despite all this, the head coach refuses to press the panic button.
Dawn Staley’s Response: A Lesson, Not a Crisis
“Everything’s not broken. It really isn’t,” Staley insisted. “We just got to get back to our good habits, playing the way we need to play.”
Instead of dwelling on the loss, Staley turned her focus to the future. She even seemed more excited about the Super Bowl than worrying about UConn. And, in classic Gamecock fashion, her team responded.
South Carolina bounced back with a statement victory over Florida, 101-63, showcasing their offensive firepower and proving they are far from finished. Freshman standout Joyce Edwards exploded for a career-high 28 points, demonstrating that the Gamecocks still have the firepower to dominate when locked in.
Rankings Take a Hit—But Staley Remains Unshaken
Despite the bounce-back win, South Carolina’s rankings took a hit. The loss to UConn sent them tumbling:
- NET Rankings: Dropped from 1st to 2nd
- AP Poll: Fell from 4th to 6th
- ESPN Power Rankings: Slipped from 2nd to 6th
In their last eight games, the Gamecocks have suffered two Quad-1 losses, were outrebounded by 26, and shot a dismal 8-of-36 from deep—while UConn alone made 13 three-pointers in their clash.
Staley knows exactly where the breakdown occurred.
“It was from taking bad shots, and it created an imbalance on the defensive side,” she admitted postgame.
But despite the defeat, South Carolina still holds the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament committee’s first in-season reveal of the top 16. If things hold, the Gamecocks could still host a postseason game and face teams like Illinois (No. 8), South Dakota State (No. 9), or the winner of a First Four matchup between UNCG and High Point (No. 16).
Can South Carolina Regain Its Dominance?
With just four regular-season games remaining, including showdowns with LSU and Texas, South Carolina still controls its destiny. The loss to UConn may have been a wake-up call, but Staley is focused on moving forward.
“We’re not going to change who we are,” she said. “No wholesale changes.”
With a battle-tested squad and a coach who refuses to waver, South Carolina is far from done. Their next test? A second-to-last home game against Arkansas, where they will look to prove that one loss doesn’t define them.
Is this just a bump in the road, or the beginning of a bigger problem? Only time will tell. But one thing’s for sure—Dawn Staley isn’t backing down.
