South Carolina fans celebrate Dawn Staley and women's basketball team even in defeat

It is a sad day in Columbia as the South Carolina women's basketball team is not bringing home a trophy, no parades are being planned, and all goes back to normal. The Gamecocks were unable to take down a high-flying UConn Huskies team led by their big three, Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd, and Sarah Strong.

The Gamecocks fell to the Huskies 82-59 in a game that felt over after the third quarter when it seemed like South Carolina was just simply in too deep of a hole to climb themselves out of. Even though the Gamecocks limited UConn's three-point shots, the ones they did make came at crucial moments, squashing South Carolina's momentum.

Even though the Gamecocks lost, some are going to hate on this team, but true fans are thanking this team and giving them love, even after such a tough game.

The SEC sends their love to a team that has brought them three national titles in the last 10 years. The Gamecocks have been the standard for women's basketball for a while and don't think that they are planning to change that anytime soon.

Before any fans try to come at South Carolina for not winning, just look at this stat. The Gamecocks have not finished their season before the Final Four in five years. They would have had a chance in 2020 had the tournament not been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Any team that can do something like this deserves all the love in the world.

If you are a true South Carolina fan, hopefully, you are rocking with Dawn Staley forever. She knows how to win and do it over time with new players each season. Even though she is losing some very core seniors, Staley will be back.

One game doesn't define any team. Look at other dynasty teams that took big hits this season. No one is describing the Kansas City Chiefs for their big loss in the Super Bowl. The Gamecocks ran into a buzzsaw that was the UConn Huskies, and the Huskies were truly just the better team.

Even through adversity, the Gamecocks still came out every game and played their hardest. Not everyone makes it to the National Championship, so be proud of this team in both the wins and the losses.

These are four words that every South Carolina women's basketball player will be saying to herself for the next year. We. Will. Be. Back.