Gamecocks 2025-2026 Season | Page 34 | The Boneyard

Gamecocks 2025-2026 Season

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.
 
USMC(ret) said:
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.
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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!
 
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.
 
.-.
Gamecockfan77 said:


This is ... pointedly ... not an apology to the person that most merited it.
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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.
 
BRS24 said:
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.
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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.

.
 
BRS24 said:
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.
Expand ...
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.
 
JstVisiting said:
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.
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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.
 
.-.
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.
 
BRS24 said:
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.
Expand ...
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.
 
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?
 
USMC(ret) said:
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?
Expand ...
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.
 
.-.
UCLA 79, South Carolina 51

Congrats to the new national champs, the UCLA Bruins. They had no weaknesses today… had a good game plan and executed it. South Carolina shot poorly, and much of that can be credited to UCLA’s defense. Some observations:

  • At some point in the first half, South Carolina conceded the paint to Betts. Proof of this was Okot taking mid-range and 3 point shots she normally doesn’t. Dauda came into the game early, another sign we were in trouble.
  • When our guards attempted to drive the lane, the Bruins collapsed on them, very successfully for most of the game. We seemed intimidated, and missed layups we normally make.
  • Forced out to the wings, Joyce was ineffective shooting from out there.
  • We seldom, if ever, scored points in transition… something we usually excel at.
  • UCLA dominated every facet of the game. For the second year in a row, we had nothing in the tank in the last game of the year. For all the talk about SEC physicality, we were pushed around by UCLA… not just by Betts, but by all of them.

A season that ends in the national championship game can’t be considered a disappointment. We had an awesome year by almost any measurement. That said, there are some big holes to fill before next season begins. We have some potentially strong freshmen coming in, but we could use some muscle down low to replace Okot.
 
USMC(ret) said:
UCLA 79, South Carolina 51

Congrats to the new national champs, the UCLA Bruins. They had no weaknesses today…
A season that ends in the national championship game can’t be considered a disappointment. We had an awesome year by almost any measurement. That said, there are some big holes to fill before next season begins. We have some potentially strong freshmen coming in, but we could use some muscle down low to replace Okot.
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I think the plan was for Okot to take and hit some 3s to draw Betts out. But she never took them from good locations for her - straight away or corners. She just took 3s from random spots on the perimeter.

When she missed the first and got called for an early foul, she kind of fell apart, which has been her tendency all year. I know she is still learning the game, especially in high profile situations, but I wish we’d pushed harder for the NCAA to give her the extra years she so clearly deserves by the recent JUCO precedent instead of letting them run out the clock. She needs a sports psychologist or someone to help with her confidence, and I worry if she goes pro now, she’ll never learn how to play through adversity.
 
Hope to see the Gamecocks back in the FF next year. Of the four teams in this year's FF, which team do you think has the best odds to make it back next year?
 
DRR25 said:
Hope to see the Gamecocks back in the FF next year. Of the four teams in this year's FF, which team do you think has the best odds to make it back next year?
Expand ...

Texas
 
.-.
DRR25 said:
Hope to see the Gamecocks back in the FF next year. Of the four teams in this year's FF, which team do you think has the best odds to make it back next year?
Expand ...
Can't answer this without knowing which guard(s) we're getting out of the portal.
 
Texas, Scar, UConn, So Cal, Duke, LSU, Mich, Vandy, UNC, ND, UK, Ohio St, Iowa, Oklahoma, TCU, Maryland.

In roughly that order? Probably forgetting somebody.
 
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