Dawn Staley tried to smile when she entered for her post-game media session, faithfully followed up the steps by her dog, Champ.
“My emotional support dog,” Staley joked.
South Carolina’s coach and her defending national champions certainly need some support after the last of their impressive streaks, a run of 71 straight wins at loud, supportive Colonial Life Arena, ended in an 87-58 loss to No. 7 UConn on Sunday.
Top-ranked UCLA ended the Gamecocks’ overall win streak with a 77-62 victory last November. A week ago, South Carolina fell at No. 3 Texas, 66-62, to finish what had been 57 straight regular-season Southeastern Conference wins.
“All of our streaks have been broken this year,” Staley said. “But it’s been a hell of a run.”
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This final one, which began after a 54-46 loss to North Carolina State on Dec. 3, 2020, had filled up the 18,000-seat arena game after game where people eagerly came to watch the Gamecocks pile up victories.
They were there again Sunday, a sell-out at 18,000 strong, hoping to see the Gamecocks continue the program’s record run.
But it was Azzi Fudd, Sarah Strong and coach Geno Auriemma who used relentless defense and non-stop offense to end South Carolina’s four-game win streak in the series.
Fudd finished with 28 points off six 3-pointers while Strong, the nation’s top incoming prospect this season, had 16 points and 13 rebounds.
Fudd said she and her teammates didn’t anticipate a blowout win. “But we were ready for whatever they threw at us,” she said.
Strong’s mother is Allison Feaster, a South Carolina native who once held the state high school scoring record and had been a teammate of Staley’s on the WNBA’s Charlotte Sting.
“Impressive,” was how Staley described Strong. “We wanted her.”
The Gamecocks fell behind by double digits in the second quarter and were down 45-23 at the half.
South Carolina’s Te’Hina Paopao said the team made too many mistakes and did not give a strong effort against the Huskies.
“We’ve just got to learn and grow from this opportunity,” she said. “We’ve got to do a better job giving effort and being mentally and physically tough.”
Staley also cited her team’s lack of effort in the defeat, calling an “F” if her players were being graded in college.
“They had their way with us,” Staley said. “There’s no trying to find a silver lining. We got beat and we got beat bad.”
Staley said it’s important the Gamecocks get back to the habits on defense and offense that had them on a 22-1 start before losing two of their past three games.
“I think we’re a little mentally and physically fatigued,” she said. “Just the gauntlet of the season. But there comes a time when you can regroup and get it back.”
