Top-ranked South Carolina is on a 43-game winning streak, but the Gamecocks have a tough test ahead as they take on No. 5 UCLA in Los Angeles on Sunday. The game will tip off at 4 p.m. ET at Pauley Pavilion.
Dawn Staley has turned South Carolina into a budding dynasty. In the past three seasons, South Carolina has won two national championships and only lost three games. However, Cori Close's Bruins have also gained momentum over the past few seasons with back-to-back Sweet 16 appearances.
The two programs have only met four times since 2015, and South Carolina has won every time. Their most recent encounter was in the 2023 Sweet 16, where the Bruins were defeated, 59-43.
Here is what you need to know ahead of Sunday's matchup:
Where to watch No. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 5 UCLA
- When: Sunday, Nov. 24 at 4 p.m. ET
- Where: Pauley Pavilion -- Los Angeles
- TV: FS1
- Streaming: fuboTV (try for free)
Chloe Kitts emerging for Gamecocks
In 2024, South Carolina became the 10th Division I women's basketball team to ever complete a perfect season. Most of the key pieces returned this year, minus Kamilla Cardoso, who is now with the WNBA's Chicago Sky.
The most dangerous element of last season's squad was its depth. The same can be said for the 2024-25 Gamecocks, as six players are averaging more than seven points per game thus far. Ahead of the season, Staley said her program is "next woman up" and gave fans a heads up that Chloe Kitts, who averaged less than 20 minutes per game last season, was one of the players who made the biggest jump this offseason.
Now, Kitts is leading the team with 14 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. A player who is not in the starting lineup but is certainly impactful is MiLaysia Fulwiley, who Staley often describes as a generational talent. She is averaging 12.8 points, and her impressive athletic abilities are exactly why she is described as a walking highlight reel. Meanwhile, freshman Joyce Edwards is showing a lot of potential already with 9.6 points and 5.2 boards per game.
The Gamecocks earned a program-record 43rd straight win with a 77-45 victory over Clemson on Wednesday. Earlier this season, South Carolina also became the second Division I team to reach multiple 40-game winning streaks, joining UConn, which has done so four times.
Gardiner impressing with Bruins
UCLA is coming off a 101-52 win against Arkansas, which marked the highest point total and largest point differential for the team so far this season. Like the Gamecocks, the Bruins boast significant depth with seven players averaging double figures, and their 84.8 points per game places them 26th nationally.
Lauren Betts is leading the team with 21.5 points and 11.5 rebounds per game. She has been a star at UCLA since last season, but coach Cori Close also benefited from top returners like Kiki Rice, Gabriela Jaquez and Londynn Jones.
One of the Bruins' biggest highlights this season has been Oregon State transfer Timea Gardiner, who ranks among the top 10 players nationally in 3-point percentage (57.7%). Her long-range shooting abilities were on full display against Arkansas, as Gardiner scored a career-high 23 points while going 7 of 12 from beyond the arc.