After more than a year of dominance in women’s college basketball, South Carolina’s reign at the top has come to a surprising end. No. 5 UCLA delivered a stunning 77-62 upset over the top-ranked Gamecocks on Sunday afternoon at Pauley Pavilion, marking the Bruins’ first-ever victory against a No. 1-ranked team in program history, according to Fox Sports. This historic win firmly establishes UCLA as a title contender this season.
The Gamecocks, who had been riding a remarkable 43-game win streak, were undefeated this season following their national championship victory last spring. Before Sunday, they had won an astounding 85 of their last 86 games, with their only prior loss coming against Caitlin Clark and Iowa in the 2023 Final Four.
UCLA set the tone early, storming to a 15-2 lead and maintaining control throughout the game. By halftime, the Bruins held a commanding 21-point advantage, their largest against any opponent in years. Key to their success was bench player Londynn Jones, who nailed three three-pointers in the first half alone, helping UCLA hit six shots from beyond the arc in the opening 20 minutes.
South Carolina, meanwhile, struggled offensively. The Gamecocks managed only 22 points in the first half, shooting just 26.5% from the field. Three starters were held scoreless, and the team faced a double-digit halftime deficit for the first time since 2021. ESPN reported that the last time South Carolina trailed by 20 or more points at halftime was against Baylor in 2019.
“It doesn’t feel good when you’re on the receiving end of it,” said South Carolina coach Dawn Staley. “But you also know you got beat by a great team, executing on both sides. That was beautiful basketball by UCLA, beautiful on both sides. I thought our kids fought, but we ran into a buzz saw today.”
Despite a brief third-quarter push, the Gamecocks couldn’t close the gap. UCLA maintained a 20-point lead into the fourth quarter and cruised to victory. Jones led the Bruins with 15 points, all from three-pointers, while Elina Aarnisalo and Lauren Betts contributed significantly with 13 points and 14 rebounds, respectively.
South Carolina’s Te-Hina Paopao led her team with 18 points, but the Gamecocks were outplayed on both ends. With tough matchups against ranked teams like Iowa State and Duke ahead, South Carolina’s road back to dominance won’t be easy. Meanwhile, UCLA’s impressive performance sets them up as a formidable contender in their first Big Ten season.