Phoenix, Ariz. – For the first time since Feb. 6, 2025, the UConn women’s basketball program has lost.
The top-ranked and, previously undefeated, UConn Huskies fell 62-48 to the South Carolina Gamecocks on Friday evening, marking Azzi Fudd’s last game as a UConn Husky and an end to their 54-game win streak.
Since Friday was UConn’s 25th Final Four, it was not their first rodeo playing in such a high-stakes game, much less against the South Carolina Gamecocks, whom they have seen three times in the Final Four or National Championship.
Despite a successful, undefeated regular season, the Huskies hadn’t experienced much adversity from opponents in their 2025-26 campaign. However, the South Carolina Gamecocks proved to be the Huskies’ Achilles Heel.
Before the game even ended, Head Coach Geno Auriemma voiced his frustrations to South Carolina Head Coach Dawn Staley in a heated altercation.
“You can ask Geno [Auriemma] the question,” Dawn Staley, Head Coach of the Gamecocks said after being asked about the altercation, “He’s the one that initiated the conversation. I don’t want what happened there to dampen what we were able to accomplish today.”
As far as Auriemma’s response goes, he said to the media that it was “nothing” and he “said what he had to say” to Staley.
Ta’Niya Latson, a senior guard on the Gamecocks, dominated the hardwood. The Florida State transfer racked up a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds and went perfect (10-10) from the free-throw line.
Sophomore Joyce Edwards racked up 11 points, eight rebounds and three steals.
From both sides of the court, the rivalry and competitiveness was palpable throughout the entire game.
To start things off, UConn wasn’t as sharp as they usually are to kick off a matchup. They struggled to connect with their shots but still maintained a steady lead to begin the game.
At the under-five timeout, the Huskies were leading 13-8 and their defense had already forced turnovers for four turnovers on the Gamecocks.
However, as the Gamecocks started to keep up with Connecticut set and South Carolina’s relentless defense, the Huskies and Gamecocks traded shots back and forth.
From layups to Ta’Niya Latson to jumpers from Ashlynn Shade, both squads kept trading shots back and forth and maintained shifty defense on both ends of the court.
A buzzer-beater three-pointer from South Carolina’s Agot Makeer would knot up the score 15-15 at the end of the first quarter.
Throughout the duration of the second period, the Huskies struggled to convert with their shots, especially from deep, due to the stifling defense from the Gamecocks.
Connecticut only shot 1-8 from beyond the arc in the second quarter and only 12.5% from three over the duration of the first half.
“They were super aggressive on defense. I thought some of our shots were a little rushed, some of our offense was a little rushed, out of pace.” Fudd said postgame, “When we got a lot of good looks, a lot of shots in our offense, shots that we are used to taking. We just didn’t hit very many or enough today.”
The Gamecocks also dominated the Huskies on the boards, collecting 13 rebounds, compared to the Huskies 10 in the second quarter, and 24 rebounds overall in the first half.
At the end of the first and second, the Huskies led 26-24 but still had a long road ahead of them in the second half.
Despite a 9-0 run with three minutes to go in the third quarter due to three pointers from Fudd, Blanca Quiñonez and Kayleigh Heckel, UConn could not connect with the basket and maintain a lead.
The Huskies could not catch up to the Gamecocks, closing out the last, less than five minutes of the game, without scoring from the field.
Despite Fudd’s time at UConn coming to an end, it marks the beginning of a new story for the historical UConn women’s basketball program.
An ending, whether it’s happy or sad, can often be a bridge to new beginnings.
In her five-year tenure as a Husky, in 108 games played, the Virginia native racked up 1,589 points, won a National Championship and received numerous accolades and partnerships.
“These five years, I have so much to be grateful for. I couldn’t have asked for better teammates, better coaches, a better experience. I’ll look back on college.” Fudd said postgame, “I know something we’ve talked about is how this game, like I said, not how we wanted it to end. But it doesn’t define us, what this team is, what this season was.”
Now, the Huskies will shift their focus to the offseason and their 2026-2027 campaign and their new beginnings.
With the exits of Fudd and Serah Williams, the squad will add the 2026 National Gatorade Player of the Year, Olivia Vukosa and Jovana Popoviç to their roster.
They will also still have AP National Player of the Year Sarah Strong on their roster for two more years.
“She’s carried a huge load for this team. An awful lot falls on her. Tonight she’ll be the first to tell you that she is not proud of how her game went today.” Auriemma said postgame, “I don’t think Sarah Strong needs me to put any fire or motivation or anything into her. We’ll be back here next year. She’ll make sure of that.”