UConn women stunned

South Carolina stopped UConn cold Friday night in Phoenix, beating the previously unbeaten Huskies 62–48 and snapping UConn’s 54‑game winning streak. (espn.com) (nbcsports.com) The win came in the national semifinal of the women’s Final Four on April 3, 2026, and it put South Carolina into the title game. (espn.com) (ncaa.com) The headline fact was defense. South Carolina held UConn to 31 percent shooting and just 48 points — the Huskies’ fewest in a game all season — by cutting off the Husky ball‑handlers and contesting nearly every open look. (espn.com.sg) (cbssports.com) South Carolina’s game plan was simple and physical: deny easy passes into UConn’s post, pressure the primary scorers, and rebound. The Gamecocks outrebounded UConn 47‑32 and turned routine defensive stands into second‑chance points and free throws, building a lead UConn could not erase. (espn.com.sg) Ta’Niya Latson led the Gamecocks with a double‑double, and freshman Agot Makeer injected scoring punch off the bench. Their numbers carried South Carolina when the rest of the offense cooled. (nbcsports.com) (espn.com.sg) UConn’s two best players never found rhythm. Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd combined to make 7 of 31 shots, and the Huskies’ usual ball movement and spacing dissolved under constant pressure. When UConn did get looks, they were contested or from the perimeter; possessions that normally end in layups turned into turnovers or long, late shots. (espn.com.sg) (cbssports.com) The game also featured a tense sideline moment between coaches Geno Auriemma and Dawn Staley. With seconds remaining, Auriemma approached Staley and the two exchanged heated words; the interaction required assistants to separate them and left Auriemma walking off before the final handshake line. (espn.com) (cbssports.com) Beyond the theater, the result reshapes the bracket. South Carolina advances to Sunday’s national championship game and will face the winner of the UCLA–Texas semifinal. That matchup now becomes the deciding axis for the title. (espn.com) (ncaa.com) The upset matters because UConn’s streak wasn’t a random run; it was a seasonlong assertion of offensive dominance and consistency. Stopping that machine required a focused, repeatable defensive template — the same template South Carolina showed in Phoenix. (espn.com.sg) Final detail: South Carolina will tip off in the national championship on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET, carrying the Gamecocks’ defense and the memory of last year’s title loss as fuel. (espn.com)