Sports

Connecticut Annihilates South Carolina After Geno Auriemma’s Refusal To Call Gamecocks A Rival

#NCAA Women's Basketball
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UConn basketball coach Geno Auriemma poses for a photo with Paige Bueckers.

© David Butler II-Imagn Images


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The UConn women’s basketball team embarrassed South Carolina in their home arena on Sunday afternoon, leaving Columbia with an 87-58 win. The blowout victory ended a four-game losing skid in the series – which head coach Geno Auriemma refused to call a rivalry.

It also snapped a 71-game home winning streak for the Gamecocks, who fell to 23-3 on the season. The Huskies sent 18,000 fans unhappy while announcing themselves as true title contenders.

The game was one-sided from start to finish. Connecticut jumped out to a 14-11 lead before the end of the first quarter and never looked back. They led the final 32 minutes of action. The outcome was never in doubt.

Senior Azzi Fudd led the way with a game-high 28 points. She drained six three-pointers and shot 50% from the field. Superstar Paige Bueckers added 12 points, 10 assists, and seven boards to narrowly miss out on a triple-double.

The Gamecocks, meanwhile, struggled. They shot just 17.6% from beyond the arc. They were outrebounded 48-29 on the glass. They failed to play team basketball, with 12 turnovers and numerous missed shots contributing to 31 fast break points for the Huskies.

It was easily the worst performance of the year for Dawn Staley’s bunch, who have now lost two of their last three matchups. It was also a disappointing result for viewers expecting to see a competitive heavyweight showdown.

These two teams have met every year since 2015. UConn won seven of eight meetings in that time before the Gamecocks ripped off four straight wins. Entering Sunday’s contest, the sides were nearly split down the middle with the Huskies holding a slight 7-5 series advantage over the last 10 seasons.

Despite the tight head-to-head results – which include a pair of NCAA Tournament meetings – Geno Auriemma refused to call South Carolina a rival, even with much at stake in many of those past matchups.

On Sunday, it felt like anything but a rivalry. The 29-point win was just another game for the Huskies. Auriemma wouldn’t refer to the Gamecocks as a rival, and his team showed why on the court. The victory should catapult UConn up in next week’s rankings. We’ll see if South Carolina gets a chance at revenge in the postseason.