The South Carolina Gamecocks will not repeat as back-to-back NCAA women's national champions after falling 82-59 to UConn on Sunday. Not only did South Carolina lose in the NCAA championship game for the first time, but they got blown out by UConn, losing by over 20 points.
Over the past two years heading into this season, South Carolina was easily the most dominant team in women's college basketball. They went 74-1 over that span, and did not lose a single game during the 2023-24 season on their way to winning a third national championship for the program.
South Carolina came slightly back to earth this season, losing four games and finishing as the runner-ups to UConn. South Carolina coach Dawn Staley was clearly unhappy watching her team fall flat to UConn, but she made sure to give the Huskies credit for their performance after the game.
"I must say, much respect to UConn, they did a masterful job in executing on both sides of the basketball," Staley said.
"Much respect to UConn, they did a masterful job in executing on both sides of the basketball."
— UConn on SNY (@SNYUConn) April 6, 2025
Dawn Staley gives her opening statement after falling to UConn in the National Championship: pic.twitter.com/pD0Kw8jMDh
"They flat out beat us," Staley told reporters. "We tried to throw a lot at them, and they rose about it all. That's what happens when you have super talented players. We've been on the other side of it, so we get it."
Though Staley and her Gamecocks previously defeated UConn in 2022, Staley said that the Huskies have "been the standard." With Sunday's title win, UConn now has 12 women's basketball national championships, a record for any men's or women's college basketball program.
"UConn's been the standard," Staley said. "Any time you can get any wins you are breaking into moving ahead in the game. ... They had the better team this year. You don't always win when you have the better team, but they did this year, and that's what you're supposed to do."
"UConn's been the standard. Any time you can get any wins you are breaking into moving ahead in the game... They had the better team this year."
— UConn on SNY (@SNYUConn) April 6, 2025
- Dawn Staley pic.twitter.com/8U5It16xK2
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Dawn Staley Had Classy Message for UConn After Getting Blown Out in NCAA Title Game.
