Gamecocks 2025-2026 Season

[USMC(ret)]

South Carolina 62, UConn 48

A rock fight from start to finish… tough, physical basketball, underlining that great defense (by all four teams) is necessary to get you to the Final Four. As a fan, I remembered the two beatdowns administered to us by UConn last year, and hoped that a combination of an improved starting lineup for the Gamecocks and Paige Bueckers having moved on to the WNBA might deliver a different outcome. Some observations:

• I won’t comment on the postgame histrionics. Plenty of dime store psychologists already doing that.
• At half time, we were down by 2, and I remember thinking “We’re still in this”. At the end of the 3rd quarter, we’re up by 5 (?), and I thought “Ten minutes is an eternity.” UConn is so capable of storming back… when they hit those three pointers in three consecutive possessions, my son took away my belt and shoelaces.
• As much as Strong and Fudd are discussed, I thought Shade was/is an unsung hero.
• UConn did a great job in denying Tessa good looks at three point shots most of the game, and even when she shook free, she didn’t hit one.
• Joyce has developed into a more physical presence down low on defense compared to last year.
• Latson’s improvement on defense will raise her stock with WNBA scouts.
• Makeer rose to the moment… again.
• The game felt much closer than the final score, with much of the difference being free throws made after UConn had to foul.
• Congrats to UConn on a great year. The loss last night doesn’t affect your legacy. Hope we meet again every season at this time.

 

[JstVisiting]

I thought we’d have to have an A or B+ game on offense to win. Only Makeer (Sticks! as my family calls her) had an A offensive game.

 

[cancontent]

South Carolina 62, UConn 48

A rock fight from start to finish… tough, physical basketball, underlining that great defense (by all four teams) is necessary to get you to the Final Four. As a fan, I remembered the two beatdowns administered to us by UConn last year, and hoped that a combination of an improved starting lineup for the Gamecocks and Paige Bueckers having moved on to the WNBA might deliver a different outcome. Some observations:

• I won’t comment on the postgame histrionics. Plenty of dime store psychologists already doing that.
• At half time, we were down by 2, and I remember thinking “We’re still in this”. At the end of the 3rd quarter, we’re up by 5 (?), and I thought “Ten minutes is an eternity.” UConn is so capable of storming back… when they hit those three pointers in three consecutive possessions, my son took away my belt and shoelaces.
• As much as Strong and Fudd are discussed, I thought Shade was/is an unsung hero.
• UConn did a great job in denying Tessa good looks at three point shots most of the game, and even when she shook free, she didn’t hit one.
• Joyce has developed into a more physical presence down low on defense compared to last year.
• Latson’s improvement on defense will raise her stock with WNBA scouts.
• Makeer rose to the moment… again.
• The game felt much closer than the final score, with much of the difference being free throws made after UConn had to foul.
• Congrats to UConn on a great year. The loss last night doesn’t affect your legacy. Hope we meet again every season at this time.

Great summary. While texting a friend during the game, Joyce's play stood out to us. Such a huge difference from last season.

And I gotta have a little Canada gush over Agot Makeer. From what I saw when she played at Crestwood, I knew she was a great fit at SC. Didn't realize it would be this good and this quickly! Wish I had a feed on the local bar scene in Thunder Bay last night as I'm sure some spots were rocking!

 

[Bone Dog]

It was a close game, maybe a little closer than the score made it appear. But I thought SC dominated most of it. I’m very impressed by the coaching job Dawn did. It looked like it might be a down year, but she made the new pieces work, and the veteran core of Raven Tessa and Joyce raised their games by a few notches.

I don’t know how tomorrow’s game will turn out, but I expect Dawn to find a way to win.

 

[triaddukefan]

Thanks to your team I can afford to get some lunch today. 😆 That was some easy money.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

Thanks to your team I can afford to get some lunch today. 😆 That was some easy money.

You're kidding! Eat well on us!

 

[Gamecockfan77]

This is ... pointedly ... not an apology to the person that most merited it.

 

[BRS24]

This is ... pointedly ... not an apology to the person that most merited it.

Unless he did it privately and personally, and the public one was for the rest of the staff and players.

It was a bad look. However he's dammed if he does one thing and dammed if he does the other. Before the statement everyone was opining and demanding that he apologize. So now that he did, and we have no idea what happened behind the scenes, it's not good enough.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

Unless he did it privately and personally, and the public one was for the rest of the staff and players.

It was a bad look. However he's dammed if he does one thing and dammed if he does the other. Before the statement everyone was opining and demanding that he apologize. So now that he did, and we have no idea what happened behind the scenes, it's not good enough.

Well generally speaking something like that is a no win situation.

I think people hyperventilate a bit much over words sometimes. It's just drama and it's not that serious.

I'm more cataloguing the pettiness and spite/spice for future matchups.. assuming the two coaches meet again.

.

 

[JstVisiting]

Unless he did it privately and personally, and the public one was for the rest of the staff and players.

It was a bad look. However he's dammed if he does one thing and dammed if he does the other. Before the statement everyone was opining and demanding that he apologize. So now that he did, and we have no idea what happened behind the scenes, it's not good enough.

The problem with “apologies” likes this is everyone knows it was written by someone in UConn PR. I don’t take any of them seriously.

 

[BRS24]

The problem with “apologies” likes this is everyone knows it was written by someone in UConn PR. I don’t take any of them seriously.

I dunno. If I were a high profile person like Geno, I'd at least want to hear what's being released so that I can affirm it if asked about it.

 

[USMC(ret)]

They run a classy program at UConn. Their coach acted in an unflattering manner seconds after a heated contest, and an apology was issued. Good enough for me. Let’s move on.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

My impression has been that (almost) everyone associated with UConn disliked what they saw from Geno and were not terribly shy about showing it.

that's great and I would hope that we could all be that gracious in aftermath of a painful loss.

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

We have some vicious rivalries, but the one with UCONN has generally been hard fought, but not vicious. As fans, hopefully we can continue to have a respectful relationship. I'm likely going to the game at Mohegan Sun, in the fall. I love New England, especially in the fall.

 

[JstVisiting]

I dunno. If I were a high profile person like Geno, I'd at least want to hear what's being released so that I can affirm it if asked about it.

They usually write it and show it to the person. Sometimes, the person “releasing a statement” is involved in creating it (‘I want it to say Blah’), sometimes they’re just told this is the statement. It’s why I take sincere, non-scripted, spoken apologies more seriously than statements.

 

[USMC(ret)]

Thoughts on Makeer vs. Fulwiley? Lay was our first player off the bench last year, and this year it’s Gotti.

Both have proven to be impact players. I think Makeer provides a little more versatility, less prone to turnovers, maybe a better three point shooter.

We had Lay for two years, so we have more data on her.

What say you?

 

[WBBTakeover]

Thoughts on Makeer vs. Fulwiley? Lay was our first player off the bench last year, and this year it’s Gotti.

Both have proven to be impact players. I think Makeer provides a little more versatility, less prone to turnovers, maybe a better three point shooter.

We had Lay for two years, so we have more data on her.

What say you?

It's clear that Gotti's defense was superior to Fulwiley's defense last season. Having her last season would have helped. While I don't think we would've won the game, it may not have been an embarrassment.

UConn not having Paige really hurt them because you simply cannot hone in on all members of a Big 3 at one time. But, of course, I remember being shot down for thinking that.