Dawn Staley reacts to 'embarrassing' loss to UConn, end of 71-game home winning streak

South Carolina had another record fall this weekend in their worst loss in nearly seven years.

Dawn Staley said the Gamecocks have to be better than they were in their 87-58 loss to UConn on Sunday, which was their largest margin of defeat since the Huskies beat them by 29 as well in the Elite Eight back in 2018.

“We got, we got to play better. We got to perform better,” Staley said postgame. “We just really had an embarrassing performance and we got to get back, get things back on track.”

South Carolina was never in it with Connecticut after the midway point of the first quarter. After they took a seven-point lead into the second quarter, the Huskies would lead by 22 at halftime before the final margin extended to nearly 30. That final score and the stats in the box score were all a statement made by UConn as they improved to 24-3 while the Gamecocks fell to 23-3.

This is also saw the end of a third extensive record for South Carolina from the 2020s. UCLA ended their overall win streak of 43 games back in November after going undefeated last season. Texas then ended their conference winning streak of 57 games just last weekend. Now, UConn ended the home win streak of 71 games for the Gamecocks in Colonial Life Arena.

Still, all that means is that those streaks have reset for them to now start again.

“I feel really bad for our, our fans. I mean, they packed the house. They did their part,” said Staley. “I mean, I think we have probably – all of our streaks have been broke this particular year. But it was a hell of a ride. I mean, to win 71 straight – is it 71? 70, 71 straight here. We got a chance to start a new streak on Thursday.”

South Carolina, despite all of them coming against top-ten opponents, has now lost more games this season than they did overall in the three prior to it. The Gamecocks still have more to do, though, as a top-ten team themselves still that’s just a half-game out of first place in their conference with four games to go as they return to league play this week.

“We’ve got to get back at it,” Staley said.