After their undefeated run last year, the South Carolina Gamecocks have all eyes on them this season. Going into their season opener, different analysts had different predictions about their run, with Lisa Leslie doubting their invincibility. However, analysts and fans did not have to wait for long, as the Gamecocks lost their sixth game into the current season and couldn’t continue with their undefeated run.

On Sunday’s post-game press conference, Dawn Staley reflected on her team’s performance and what went wrong after the Gamecocks lost their first game this season against the UCLA Bruins. “They played well. I mean they were hitting on all cylinders. You know we… they actually executed our gameplan to a tee. Like we did a great job on Betts. But you know we got killed by everybody else, and we’ll learn, you know valuable lesson.” Staley stated.

The Dawn Staley-coached team trailed by double-digits at halftime for the first time since December 21, 2021. While they worked on containing Lauren Betts and successfully did so, allowing her only 11 points, it was the other stars who outdid the Gamecocks.

“I… like what we did on Betts and then we got to figure out how we control everybody else, and not allow them to get as many open looks and I mean they hit open looks. They hit contested looks, it was a great, great game, great atmosphere, and great opportunity for UCLA to to knock us off,” Staley accepted. While Londynn Jones hit 15 points, Elina Aarnisalo scored 13. Meanwhile, Kiki Rice and Gabriela Jaquezboth contributed 11 points each. Thus, while the gamecocks concentrated on stopping Betts, the remaining players did the magic.

With this, the fifth-ranked UCLA upset the first-ranked South Carolina and ended their 43-game undefeated streak. The Gamecocks had last been at the losing end in April 2023 when the Iowa Hawkeyes had defeated the Staley-coached team during the NCAA semifinals. Last year, they had an undefeated 38-0 streak, whereas in the previous 20 games against the first-ranked squad, the Bruins lost every game. However, things turned, and the Gamecocks had to face an upset with a 77-62 margin, much like Leslie had predicted.

Lisa Leslie had doubted the South Carolina Gamecocks’ dominance

The Gamecocks, since the beginning of the season, were under the scanner for having an undefeated 38-0 season. Losing one of their main architects of the previous season, Kamilla Cardoso, to the W was a blow to their aspirations of continuing their historic run. Plus, the limelight they had got last season also added to a lot of pressure, and Leslie noticed the same

” They are coming off an undefeated season which is a lot of pressure. I don’t think that they will stay undefeated. Just being there watching… I think they have excellent chemistry, my goodness, which is key. I think they have excellent defense,” Leslie stated.

The Gamecocks are going for their third title in the last four seasons. In the 2022-23 season, they lost just one game; in the 2021-22 season, they lost only two. Therefore, the Gamecocks in the past few years have a good tally of having exceptional seasons. However, with Cardoso’s departure, Leslie had already warned that they might be unable to repeat the same.

“I think they miss a lot with Cardoso not being in the middle. She’s cleaned up a lot of you know misses and miss slips and chippies and things like that, where they’re going to have to really find a stronghold in the post. So I say that to say I think South Carolina will have another successful season. I just don’t think they will be undefeated,” Leslie had added.

The HC had also reflected that replacing Cardoso would be “hard” as the youngsters don’t have “enough experience in practice or in-game to really deem them that.” While Leslie’s words did come true, there is still hope for the Gamecocks. Maybe they can replicate the 2022-23 session in which they lost just one game.