NFL
South Carolina women’s basketball team routed Uconn 70-52 Monday night, reinforcing its status as the nation’s top team. The Gamecocks have faced Uconn in numerous massive clashes before but always fell. Uconn even humbled USC for its 100th straight win in 2017. (To add an insult, Missippisi’s State’s semifinal upset of the Huskies eclipsed South Carolina’s national championship). In the 2018 Elite Eight, the dogs feasted again with a 94-65 beat-down. But coach Dawn Staley had a vision for her program when arriving in 2008. Monday, February 10th, another aspect of that dream became a reality.
Gamecocks Dominate
Disclaimer alert: women’s basketball is never ugly. Sometimes are more unpleasant than others, however, and the first quarter was one of those times.
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Need to get the offense going.#BleedBlue pic.twitter.com/53tJoy20Ie
— UConn Women’s Basketball (@UConnWBB) February 11, 2020
Hold up: the mighty Uconn offense that recently scored 100 points in a half had two after the first quarter? Connecticut woke up, but it was too late. USC forced 15 Husky turnovers, hit four more threes, and stymied Connecticut to 36.1% shooting. The best Uconn did was cut the Gamecock lead to 11 early in the fourth. The ESPN announcers (who did fabulous work, by the way) alleged the dogs had momentum. My friends, a small team facing an 18,000-fanatic hostile torture chamber, had momentum? Nope, as the Gamecocks eased out of a premature stall to win easily. After the game, a humbled Staley praised her stern, yet not-too-tight, champions.
Good team win = proud coach.#SCWomanUp | @dawnstaley pic.twitter.com/eQzfdZMs1D
— South Carolina Women's Basketball (@GamecockWBB) February 11, 2020
Oh boy, March is just three weeks away! What do the two teams turn to now?
New Moves for Big Dance
According to Charlie Creme’s bracketology, the Gamecocks are the one seed in the Greenville region. Many experts believe Uconn is now the worst team in the history of women’s basketball. Well, it sure sounds that way to Geno. The coach quipped postgame, “We’re allowed to lose a God[BLEEP!] game every once in a while.” He’s right: heaven forbid the Huskies aren’t quite a favorite to reach its 13th straight Final Four. For the game’s historically best program, as it’s been for the last 20 years, only March ultimately matters. However, Monday was a statement for USC. Staley strikes another challenge off her bucket list, while simultaneously striking horror into 350 teams without the size of the Gamecock’s bodies or hearts.
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