A strong defensive effort helped No. 5 UCLA crush No. 1 South Carolina in a stunning 77-62 victory on Sunday, snapping the reigning national champions’ 43-game winning streak. This marked UCLA’s first win over an AP No. 1 team in program history.
The Bruins handed the Gamecocks just their fourth loss since the start of the 2021-22 season, and the celebration was deafening inside Pauley Pavilion.
UCLA got the job done with a full team effort that saw six players score at least eight points. Londynn Jones led the way with 15 points and knocked down all five of her 3-point attempts.
It was a rough start offensively for both teams as only one field goal was converted halfway through the first quarter. However, the Bruins soon found their offensive rhythm while bringing the heat defensively.
UCLA entered the break with a 43-22 lead, and Cori Close had a straightforward message for her team: “Whatever the score is, I know we can play better.”
South Carolina went 9 of 34 from the field in the first two quarters, but Tessa Johnson kept the Gamecocks in it by scoring 12 points by the half. The Gamecocks opened the third quarter on a 7-2 run, but that momentum was short-lived as UCLA still entered the fourth with a 20-point advantage.
Johnson finished the day with 14 points for the Gamecocks, while Te-Hina Paopao contributed 18 points.
UCLA (5-0) will return to the court Friday against UT Martin. Meanwhile, South Carolina (4-1) will hope to get back on track when it plays No. 8 Iowa State on Thursday.
