South Carolina loses to UCLA

[and one]

SC loses 62-77 to UCLA. The loss breaks a SC 43 game winning streak. I don't think this tells us much about what UConn will face when we play them. Perhaps more telling about an upcoming UConn opponent is Iowa State winning by 2 against Drake.

 

[Skeets]

Would have been a different game if SCar could have put the ball in the basket, which is fundamental in the game of basketball. Remains to be seen if this this normal or abnormal for them.

 

[AmeriConn]

Would have been a different game if SCar could have put the ball in the basket, which is fundamental in the game of basketball. Remains to be seen if this this normal or abnormal for them.

I thought UCLA played great D today.

 

[Zinethar]

I was not impressed by Betts last year but she was vastly improved today and gave SC fits. UCLA led almost the entire game by at least 20 points To me SCar just looked bad.

 

[Woof 101]

The loss by SC breaks my little heart.

 

[Conndog]

I was not impressed by Betts last year but she was vastly improved today and gave SC fits. UCLA led almost the entire game by at least 20 points To me SCar just looked bad.

I don’t think it was so much that SC looked bad; rather, UCLA looked better and overpowered them. SC had no answer for bigs Betts and Barker, and all the UCLA players shot well and played great defense. SC made some outside shots but UCLA limited their opportunities and grabbed rebounds. UConn will need their A+ game if they meet

 

[packwrap]

Both front courts played good defense holding each other down low to almost zero.

The backcourt battle went surprisingly all to UCLA. South Carolina just had a terrible shooting game, and didn't have many ideas on offense.

SC was actually fortunate that both T Johnson and PaoPao shot well from 3, or it could have been worse.

SC will be fine by tournament time. Lots of talent, probably a different grouping of starters by then.

Betts now patient and savvy. She does not panic and passes well out of double teams.

The point guard from Finland is a real find. Only a freshman, but plays like a senior.

 

[JellyBean]

These losses, especially so early in the season, means a little to some teams and a lot to others. For South Carolina, they can take this game in many different ways. Were the healthy? Did they compete to the best of their ability? And probably 20 other different questions they could come up with. For UCLA, they could use this game to measure themselves and say "We have arrived" and get comfortable and do nothing but coast on this win. We will see what develops for both programs. But hats off to Coach Close on this huge win for her and UCLA. This win today will quiet the noise from the "Coach Close can't coach" crowd, for now.

 

[huskeynut]

SC doesn't have a dominant post player for the first time since the Wilson, Boston and Cardoso. It showed today. They could not control and dominate the paint. They also shot poorly and looked disorganized on offense.

UCLA was just the opposite. Betts and compoany controled the paint, rebounded well and shot exceptionally well, especially from beyond the arc.

What this means down the road, who knows. Is SC as bad as they looked today? I doubt it. Dawn is too good a coach not to get this going. Is UCLA that dominant? Who knows. Is this UCLA's big win and down hill from here? Who knows. As the season goes on we will see how good both teams are.

Not going to make any predictions off of this game. Way too early and teams are still evolving.

 

[jake0414]

These losses, especially so early in the season, means a little to some teams and a lot to others. For South Carolina, they can take this game in many different ways. Were the healthy? Did they compete to the best of their ability? And probably 20 other different questions they could come up with. For UCLA, they could use this game to measure themselves and say "We have arrived" and get comfortable and do nothing but coast on this win. We will see what develops for both programs. But hats off to Coach Close on this huge win for her and UCLA. This win today will quiet the noise from the "Coach Close can't coach" crowd, for now.

Will it quiet the noise? I have my doubts…

 

[Cuango]

Would have been a different game if SCar could have put the ball in the basket, which is fundamental in the game of basketball. Remains to be seen if this this normal or abnormal for them.

You know they shot 67% on threes? It was a bit of a strange game. Fulwiley played three minutes and did not score! Bree Hall played 28 and scored 3 points. In fact, four of Dawn’s starters scored 2, 4, 3, & 3 points respectively. Methinks Dawn has some serious work to do with this team. Not counting her out, not at all, but I do think something is not quite right with this team. I’m sure she will figure it out but it may take some time.

 

[AzzisBraids]

This is Deja vu. UCLA did this same very thing to us not to long ago. They are deceptive. They lull you into gameplanning into stopping Betts and Close has her guards shooting threes all that week. This UCLA team's defensive scout was brilliant as well.

Betts is one of the best post passers since Candace Parker. Their freshman Elena looked didn't care what a Gamecock was and Londynn Jones made a countr 3 for every 3 Pao Pao/Johnson or Bree Hall made.

Everybody gripes on preferences but when Dawn Staley doesn't have the best or tallest post in the country, her teams look a little different. Pao Pao packed the only punch for this team and Tessa Johnson deserves major minutes. Staley needs to figure out what she wants to do with Fulwiley before the latter does the former.