Four straight losses. Three years of frustration. Is this finally the night UConn snaps the streak? As Azzi Fudd catches fire, Geno Auriemma’s Huskies will look to rewrite history against Dawn Staley’s South Carolina. But standing in their way is a dominant Gamecocks team that has ruled this rivalry since 2021. With March Madness on the horizon, this battle remains about proving who’s having the momentum for the upcoming deep run.

Despite a strong season, South Carolina suffered a shock defeat against Texas but swiftly corrected their path with a dominant win against Florida. UConn is also coming into the fixture with a winning performance against St John’s St John’s Red Storm women’s basketball.

The game between UConn and South Carolina is set to take place at the Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina. The NCAA game will begin at 1 PM EST. With both teams making to push further for their championship dream, this fixture will set the tone and instill confidence in the side.

Injury Update: South Carolina Faces Challenge Ahead of UConn Showdown

While UConn breathes easy with a fully fit squad, South Carolina faces a significant void. Without Ashlyn Watkins, one of the NCAA’s premier shot-blockers, Dawn Staley’s team misses a crucial piece of their defensive wall. This puts added pressure on Sakima Walker to hold the paint against a high-scoring UConn lineup led by Bueckers and Fudd.

So, how do these squads stack up for the UConn vs South Carolina game? Here’s a look at the likely starting five for both teams:

UConn Huskies: Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd, Aubrey Griffin, Sarah Strong, Jana El Alfy.

South Carolina Gamecocks: Raven Johnson, Chloe Kitts, Te-Hina Paopao, Joyce Edwards, Sakima Walker.

Coming off their second loss against Texas, South Carolina needed a statement win to reaffirm their dominance. And they delivered it by smashing Florida 101-63 in front of a roaring home crowd. The Gamecocks dictated the tempo early. But when Dawn Staley turned to her bench in the second half, a brief momentum shift saw Florida dominating the half for a brief period.

For a moment, there was tension. Could Florida turn this into a fight? But as quickly as doubts arose, Joyce Edwards shut them down. The freshman phenom erupted for 28 points in just 19 minutes, rallying the home crowd and crushing any hopes of a Florida comeback. Joyce Edwards had a remarkable performance with 28 points and five rebounds in 19 minutes. Te-Hina Paopao upped her game through her playmaking skills, registering seven assists, seven rebounds, and 14 points.

On the other hand, the UConn Huskies took away a win against the St John’s Red Storm women’s basketball team on Thursday. The NCAA game was far away from back and forth as the UConn Huskies consistently dominated both halves. Azzi Fudd was a different beast; she was unstoppable. The 22-year-old gave all sorts of problems to defenders all night, slicing through the Red Storm defense with precision. She poured in a career-high 34 points in just 31 minutes, knocking down three clutch three-pointers.

And it wasn’t just Fudd making noise. Paige Bueckers delivered an all-around masterclass, stuffing the stat sheet with 16 points, six rebounds, four assists, five blocks, and four steals.

With this level of dominance, UConn enters the South Carolina matchup with one goal in mind: revenge. But can they finally break their losing streak?