[ad_1]
David Butler II / Associated Press
South Carolina’s 12-game winning streak is over after the top-ranked Gamecocks suffered a 63-59 overtime loss to No.2 UConn on Monday night at the Gampel Lodge in Storrs, Connecticut.
Paige Bueckers lived up to the hype as a true freshman, and her legend continues to grow. The 5’11 “guard showed a level of balance that belied his years, posting a record 31 points with six steals, five assists and four rebounds.
Bueckers put the finishing touches to the victory with a three-point lift as the shot clock closed with 10.8 seconds left in overtime.
She also carried the UConn offense late in settlement as South Carolina rolled through an 11-0 run.
Bueckers halved the Huskies’ deficit with a midrange jumper and tied the game at 54 with 49.5 seconds left.
The Gamecocks still had the opportunity to win the regulation part following a UConn turnover. Destanni Henderson’s jumper was out of place and Aliyah Boston and Victaria Saxton’s attempts to pull back did not fail.
As South Carolina gained a three-point advantage in overtime, Bueckers once again answered the call with two quick shots to give the Huskies a 60-59 lead before a lucky rebound sealed the result. .
Entering Monday night, UConn and South Carolina were two of the best offensive teams in the country. Huskies and Gamecocks class fourth and 11th in points per game.
However, they combined to score just 48 points in the first half.
UConn really struggled to find a groove, passing 12 of 35 on the court, missing all six of his three points and committing 10 turnovers. Still, the Huskies would have taken a 24-21 lead in the locker room at halftime if it hadn’t been for a Zia Cooke half-court hitter.
UConn needed Bueckers to step up as no other Huskies player has scored in double digits. Christyn Williams and Olivia Nelson-Ododa tallied six points apiece while combining to shoot 6 of 21. South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley summed it up after the game:
Boston also feasted on the inside against UConn’s frontcourt, and the second-year forward might have propelled South Carolina to victory without his four fouls. She made a double-double (17 points and 15 rebounds) while playing 43 minutes.
Once Boston was whistled for her fourth personal at 5:26 in the final quarter, she couldn’t be so aggressive on the inside.
This briefly took away what had been an advantage for Staley’s team. The Gamecocks have outperformed UConn 52-39 – including 19 offensive boards – and had 40 points in the painting.
Ultimately, the spotlight belonged to Bueckers.
Geno Auriemma has seen a litany of women’s basketball legends don the Huskies’ uniform. While it’s far too early to compare Bueckers to the stars of UConn’s past, she seems ready to follow in their footsteps.
And Monday could be a preview of a Final Four or a national championship fixture coming up this spring.
[ad_2]
Source link