S.C., fueled by '25 loss, upsets undefeated UConn

PHOENIX -- During summer workouts, the South Carolina Gamecocks had the score of their 2025 national title game loss to the UConn Huskies displayed on screens: UConn 82, South Carolina 59. That added reminder motivated the Gamecocks through the offseason to put in the work to get back to the Final Four stage - and ensure a different result.

The Gamecocks are on their way to doing that -- and have avenged that blowout defeat in the process.

South Carolina knocked off the previously undefeated Huskies 62-48 on Friday to advance to Sunday's national championship game. They will play the winner of the other national semifinal game between fellow No. 1 seeds UCLA and Texas.

South Carolina - which also won championships in 2017, 2022 and 2024 -- is now one win away from its fourth national title. That accomplishment would make coach Dawn Staley one of four coaches to win that many titles, along with Geno Auriemma (12), Pat Summitt (8) and Kim Mulkey (4).

UConn's streak of 54 consecutive wins dating back to last season, and their bid for repeat championships, was snapped with the loss. This is the third time Auriemma has taken an undefeated squad to the Final Four and fell short of a national title.

South Carolina won each of its first four games in the NCAA tournament by at least 25 points each, entering the Final Four with a point differential of 161, the largest by an SEC team entering the Final Four in NCAA tournament history and the fourth largest by any team.

But the path was, as expected, not as easy on Friday. The Gamecocks led much of the first half before allowing the Huskies to take a 26-24 lead into the break. A 16-4 start for the Gamecocks coming out of the locker room ultimately gave them the lead for good, though UConn was still within striking distance.

The Huskies pulled within one late in the third thanks to three-straight triples before South Carolina got some breathing room behind fourth straight points from Tessa Johnson to end the quarter. The Gamecocks held steady in the fourth, turning a two-point lead into a double-figure edge with 1:45 to play and holding UConn to just four points in the final 6:37.

South Carolina ultimately bested the Huskies on the glass, 47-32, and held the Huskies to just 31% shooting. UConn had not been held below 50 points in any game since the 2022 national championship loss to South Carolina. This was also UConn's lowest-ever point total in a Final Four game, and their fourth double-digit loss in the Final Four.

Freshman Agot Makeer had a huge night with 14 points off the bench. She's scored in double figures each game this tournament after only having three such games beforehand. Ta'Niya Latson (16), Joyce Edwards (11) and Johnson (10) joined Makeer in double figures.