Top-ranked South Carolina snaps 29-game winning streak against NC State
Updated: Dec 8, 2020
COLUMBIA, SC --- The top-ranked South Carolina’s women’s basketball team did not have their best game against eighth-ranked N.C. State on Thursday night, and it cost them their first loss since November 28, 2019.
South Carolina was defeated by NC State 54-46, snapping their 29-game winning streak.
“We were a team that I’d never seen before,” said South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley following the loss. “I’ve never coached a team that performed that way. It was pickup basketball.”
South Carolina had averaged 93.0 points per game entering Thursday night’s contest, but shot just 20-68 (29.4%) from the field and combined for 11 turnovers as a team.
Laeticia Amihere, who sat out the entire 2019 season with an injury, tied for a team-high 11 points along with Zia Cooke in the loss.
The Gamecocks’ offense would struggle throughout Thursday’s loss, especially beyond the arc and at the free-throw line.
As a team South Carolina would finish shooting 2-12 from three-point range after shooting 40% in their win against Gonzaga on Sunday. The Gamecocks would also miss seven free throws in the loss.
While the offensive performance for South Carolina did not compare to last season, neither did the fans in the arena.
For the last six seasons, South Carolina has led the nation in average attendance and the home-court advantage at Colonial Life Arena has been something that Staley’s squad has consistently counted-on during her time in Columbia. In 2020 however, due to COVID-19 protocols, only 3,500 fans were allowed into the arena for the game instead of the usual 10,000 or more.
Thursday’s loss was also South Carolina's first home loss since March 2019.
South Carolina will look to bounce-back on Sunday, December 6 at Iowa State in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge on ESPNU.