South Carolina’s Stunning Streak Ends – But Don’t Count the Gamecocks Out Just Yet!
The South Carolina Lady Gamecocks suffered a crushing 87-58 loss to the UConn Huskies on Feb. 16, a defeat that shattered more than just the scoreboard. This wasn’t just any loss – it ended a remarkable 71-game home winning streak that had stood strong since December 2020 and came at the hands of a team USC had beaten four times in a row.
For the players, coaches, and fans, the emotions were overwhelming. As a former athlete, I can relate all too well.
My own team, the Wayland College Hutcherson Flying Queens, once achieved an astonishing 131-game win streak, winning four consecutive national AAU basketball championships. But in the 1958 National AAU semifinals, we fell to a team we had defeated multiple times before. That loss stung – and still does.
Our streak remains the longest in history, though few know of the Flying Queens. And while our defeat was a narrow, hard-fought battle, it didn’t matter. The record was broken, and nothing could change that.
Just like the Gamecocks, we felt the weight of the moment. It’s a feeling that lingers – as I learned firsthand decades later. During a 2022 documentary interview, I was asked about that fateful loss. To my surprise, I broke down in tears. It was as if I was back in that moment – when everything was possible, but everything was lost.
Why Does a Game Matter So Much?
Sports ignite hope. Whether you’re a player or a fan, there’s always the belief that an underdog can rise, that victory is within reach. It’s that unpredictability – the bounce of the ball, the luck of the draw, or a sudden injury – that keeps us on the edge of our seats.
More than that, sports reveal character. They strip away the trivial and put an athlete’s true self on display. You either rise to the occasion or crumble under pressure. The ultimate goal? Perfection – not just in skill, but in body, mind, and spirit.
Winning with Grace, Losing with Class
As painful as the Gamecocks’ loss was, USC coach Dawn Staley didn’t hide. She stepped up, faced the press, and admitted: “We just had an embarrassing performance.” If only some politicians could learn from that level of honesty.
I’ll never forget what my own coach, Harley Redin, told us when our record-breaking streak was about to end: “Go out and lose the game the same way you have been winning.” And so we did. After that four-point loss, we congratulated our opponents, knowing we had given everything we had.
But our story didn’t end there. The following year, we reclaimed the national AAU championship – defeating the very team that had shattered our streak.
A Gamecocks Comeback?
Since their loss, South Carolina has bounced back with two dominant wins, outscoring opponents by a combined 68 points. And with the 2025 NCAA tournament fast approaching, the defending national champions are far from done.
If history has taught us anything, it’s this: Never bet against a team with something to prove.
