LIVE UPDATE: South Carolina’s Unbelievable SEC Streak Ends at 57 as Texas Shocks the Gamecocks!
For the first time in over two years, the South Carolina Gamecocks have fallen in a regular-season SEC matchup! Dawn Staley’s squad, which had dominated the conference since December 2021, saw their remarkable 57-game winning streak come to an end in Austin, as the No. 4-ranked Texas Longhorns handed them a stunning defeat.
This loss isn’t just a rare stumble—it marks the first time since the 2020-2021 season that South Carolina has dropped two regular-season games in a single campaign.
WHERE DOES THIS LEAVE THE GAMECOCKS?
With this setback, South Carolina now stands at 22-2 overall and 10-1 in SEC play. The race for the SEC crown is now wide open, with the Gamecocks, Texas, LSU, and Kentucky all sharing just one conference loss. However, Kentucky trails behind in total wins, giving an edge to the other contenders.
AP TOP 25 SHAKE-UP! SOUTH CAROLINA SLIDES DOWN
As expected, Monday’s Associated Press Top 25 rankings reflected the impact of South Carolina’s loss. The Gamecocks dropped two spots to No. 4, making way for an unchanged No. 1 UCLA Bruins. Meanwhile, LSU climbed to No. 5, holding the distinction of being the only team in the country with just one loss this season.
The top seven teams—UCLA, Notre Dame, Texas, South Carolina, LSU, Southern Cal, and UConn—appear to have created some separation from the rest of the field, setting the stage for an intense battle as the season progresses.
Here’s the latest AP Top 25 rankings (first-place votes in parentheses):
- UCLA Bruins (31)
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish
- Texas Longhorns
- South Carolina Gamecocks
- LSU Tigers
- Southern Cal Trojans
- UConn Huskies
- Kentucky Wildcats
- Ohio State Buckeyes
- NC State Wolfpack
- TCU Horned Frogs
- North Carolina Tar Heels
- Duke Blue Devils
- Kansas State Wildcats
- Tennessee Lady Volunteers
- Oklahoma Sooners
- Maryland Terrapins
- West Virginia Mountaineers
- Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
- Oklahoma State Sooners
- Alabama Crimson Tide
- Michigan State Spartans
- Florida State Seminoles
- Creighton Blue Jays
- Baylor Bears
WHAT’S NEXT FOR SOUTH CAROLINA?
The Gamecocks will have a chance to bounce back twice this week, but only one of those matchups will affect their SEC standing.
First, South Carolina returns home for a much-needed showdown against the Florida Gators on Thursday, February 13, at 7:00 p.m. This game—only their second at Colonial Life Arena in February—will be aired on the SEC Network and streamed on the ESPN app. Notably, this contest is part of the “Play 4 Kay” movement, a national initiative to raise awareness and funding for women’s cancer research.
Then, in a marquee non-conference showdown, South Carolina will reignite their annual rivalry with Geno Auriemma’s UConn Huskies on Sunday, February 16, at 1:00 p.m. This highly anticipated top-10 battle will be broadcast on ABC, with streaming available via ESPN+ and the ESPN app. The Gamecocks have dominated recent matchups, winning five of the last six and holding a four-game win streak over the Huskies.
With their historic SEC streak now in the rearview, South Carolina must regroup and refocus as they look to reclaim their dominance. Will they bounce back and make a statement this week? Stay tuned!
