It took nearly 20 months, but the No. 1 South Carolina Gamecocks women’s basketball team has lost again. South Carolina suffered its first defeat on Sunday since March 31, 2023, falling 77-62 in an early-season road test against No. 5 UCLA.
The loss ends a school-best 43-game win streak for the Gamecocks, who ran the table with a 38-0 record in the 2023-24 season. The defending national champs opened the new season with five consecutive wins before coming up short in Westwood, Calif.. The Bruins earned their first-ever win over an AP No. 1 ranked team.
Dawn Staley’s group entered the season as favorites to repeat as national champions, and while Sunday’s loss served as a reminder that no team is unbeatable, the Gamecocks will still be considered among the class of the SEC and thought to be one of the last teams standing in college basketball.
Here’s more to know about South Carolina’s impressive streak and how UCLA ended it.
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South Carolina vs. UCLA women’s basketball score
| 1Q | 2Q | 3Q | 4Q | Final | |
| South Carolina | 10 | 12 | 19 | 21 | 62 |
| UCLA | 20 | 23 | 18 | 16 | 77 |
South Carolina women’s basketball win streak snapped: How UCLA ended Gemecocks’ run
Talented as South Carolina is, Sunday marked its second true road game of the 2024-25 regular season. Wednesday, the Gamecocks set a school record with their 43rd consecutive win over rival Clemson.
A cross-country trip to take on a top-five team is no small task for South Carolina, which is still learning and growing after losing All-American Kamilla Cardoso to the WNBA.
That void on the interior was certainly felt in Sunday’s game. UCLA’s 6-7 star center Lauren Betts made her presence felt with 11 points, 14 rebounds, four assists, and four blocks. The Bruins won the rebounding battle, 41-34.
South Carolina’s offense sputtered as it had a rough shooting night from the field. While the Gamecocks shot 24-of-66 (36.4 percent) from the field, the Bruins were 28-of-59 (47.5 percent) including 10-of-21 from 3-point range.
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South Carolina women’s basketball win streak
After losing to Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Final Four of the 2023 NCAA Tournament, South Carolina won all of its games during the 2023-24 season and its first five games of the 2024-25 season.
Here is a look back at the Gamecocks’ impressive streak.
| Date | Opponent | Result | Streak |
| March 31, 2023 | Iowa (Final Four) | L, 77-73 | — |
| Nov. 6, 2023 | No. 10 Notre Dame | W, 100-71 | W1 |
| Nov. 12, 2023 | No. 14 Maryland | W, 114-76 | W2 |
| Nov. 16, 2023 | Clemson | W, 109-40 | W3 |
| Nov. 20, 2023 | South Dakota State | W, 78-38 | W4 |
| Nov. 24, 2023 | Mississippi Valley State | W, 101-19 | W5 |
| Nov. 30, 2023 | No. 24, North Carolina | W, 65-58 | W6 |
| Dec. 3, 2023 | Duke | W, 77-61 | W7 |
| Dec. 6, 2023 | Morgan State | W, 104-38 | W8 |
| Dec. 10, 2023 | No. 11 Utah | W, 78-69 | W9 |
| Dec. 16, 2023 | Presbyterian | W, 99-29 | W10 |
| Dec. 19, 2023 | Bowling Green | W, 93-62 | W11 |
| Dec. 30, 2023 | East Carolina | W, 73-36 | W12 |
| Jan. 4, 2024 | Florida | W, 89-66 | W13 |
| Jan. 7, 2024 | Mississippi State | W, 85-66 | W14 |
| Jan. 11, 2024 | Missouri | W, 81-57 | W15 |
| Jan. 15, 2024 | Kentucky | W, 98-36 | W16 |
| Jan. 21, 2024 | Texas A&M | W, 99-64 | W17 |
| Jan. 25, 2024 | No. 9 LSU | W, 76-70 | W18 |
| Jan. 28, 2024 | Vanderbilt | W, 91-74 | W19 |
| Feb. 1, 2024 | Auburn | W, 76-54 | W20 |
| Feb. 4, 2024 | Ole Miss | W, 86-56 | W21 |
| Feb. 8, 2024 | Missouri | W, 83-45 | W22 |
| Feb. 11, 2024 | No. 11 UConn | W, 83-65 | W23 |
| Feb. 15, 2024 | Tennessee | W, 66-55 | W24 |
| Feb. 18, 2024 | Georgia | W, 70-56 | W25 |
| Feb. 22, 2024 | Alabama | W, 72-44 | W26 |
| Feb. 25, 2024 | Kentucky | W, 103-55 | W27 |
| Feb. 29, 2024 | Arkansas | W, 98-61 | W28 |
| March 3, 2024 | Tennessee | W, 76-68 | W29 |
| March 8, 2024 | Texas A&M (SEC Quarterfinals) | W, 79-68 | W30 |
| March 9, 2024 | Tennessee (SEC Semifinals) | W, 74-73 | W31 |
| March 10, 2024 | No. 8 LSU (SEC Championship) | W, 79-72 | W32 |
| March 22, 2024 | Presbyterian (NCAA First round) | W, 91-39 | W33 |
| March 24, 2024 | North Carolina (NCAA Second round) | W, 88-41 | W34 |
| March 29, 2024 | No. 14 Indiana (Sweet Sixteen) | W, 79-75 | W35 |
| March 31, 2024 | No. 12 Oregon State (Elite Eight) | W, 70-58 | W36 |
| April 5, 2024 | No. 11 NC State (Final Four) | W, 78-59 | W37 |
| April 7, 2024 | No. 2 Iowa | W, 87-75 | W38 |
| Nov. 4, 2024 | Michigan | W, 68-62 | W39 |
| Nov. 10, 2024 | No. 9 NC State | W, 71-57 | W40 |
| Nov. 14, 2024 | Coppin State | W, 92-60 | W41 |
| Nov. 17, 2024 | East Carolina | W, 95-44 | W42 |
| Nov. 20, 2024 | Clemson | W, 77-45 | W43 |
| Nov. 24, 2024 | No. 5 UCLA | L, 77-62 | — |
