Highlighting an NCAA basketball weekend filled with surprises, South Carolina suffered their first loss since the 2023 Final Four on Sunday. The Gamecocks were defeated 77-62 by then-No. 5 UCLA, ending a 43-game winning streak in the biggest loss by an AP No. 1 team since 2020.
“I thought our kids fought, but we ran into a buzzsaw today,” said South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley after the game.
After taking a commanding 43-22 lead at halftime, UCLA’s defense ramped up to counter the defending champions’ second-half comeback and secure the win. The Bruins forced the Gamecocks into 13 turnovers, matching their assists, while also out-rebounding them 41-34.
South Carolina’s guard Te-Hina Paopao led all scoring with 18 points, but UCLA displayed a true team effort with five Bruins scoring in double digits, marking their first-ever program win against the Gamecocks.
Notre Dame kicks off the NCAA basketball upset trend
Underdogs emerged victorious in both Top-10 matchups of the weekend, with then-No. 6 Notre Dame defeating then-No. 3 USC 74-61 on Saturday.
Notre Dame’s guard Hannah Hidalgo delivered a standout performance with 24 points, eight assists, six rebounds, and five steals. Together with star teammate Olivia Miles, who added 20 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, and three steals, the Irish subdued a loaded USC lineup featuring JuJu Watkins and Kiki Iriafen.
“Big-time player, big-time stage,” said Fighting Irish head coach Nielle Ivey about Hidalgo. “Not at all shocked by what she did today.”
NCAA upsets shake up AP poll
Propelled by their historic win over the 2024 champions South Carolina, UCLA claimed the No. 1 spot in Monday’s AP Top 25 for the first time in school history. Meanwhile, the Gamecocks dropped to No. 4 after spending 61 of the last 62 polls at the top spot.
“We came here wanting to be an elite basketball program, and being the 26th program ever to be a No. 1 team is significant,” UCLA coach Cori Close commented after the release of the AP standings. “I’m grateful.”
Notre Dame and USC exchanged their rankings following the Irish’s victory, now standing at No. 3 and No. 6, respectively, entering Week 4 of the NCAA season.
Elsewhere, solid defense earned WNBA star Caitlin Clark’s former college Iowa its season debut in the AP poll at No. 22. On the other hand, state rival Iowa State experienced the largest drop in rankings, falling seven spots to No. 15 after losing 87-75 to unranked Northern Iowa last week.
While most of the top 25 teams in college basketball saw minor one-spot shifts, No. 2 UConn was among the four teams that retained their positions. The Huskies continue to showcase their long-standing dominance behind the winningest NCAA basketball coach in history, Geno Auriemma.
