South Carolina women's basketball star Te-Hina Paopao called out the Gamecocks' performance in their embarrassing 87-58 loss to the UConn Huskies. The clash of these titans got out of hand in the first half as the No. 7 team in the country broke South Carolina's 71-game home-winning. Now, head coach Dawn Staley's squad will have some serious soul-searching ahead of the NCAA Tournament.

South Carolina women's basketball is trying to win its third national championship in four years. However, this year's team must improve if it wants to complete this feat, and Te-Hina Paopao knows that. The senior guard, a key contributor on last year's undefeated national championship team, did not hold back in criticizing her team for Sunday's effort.

According to South Carolina women's basketball reporter Lulu Kesin, Paopao said South Carolina got punked and summed up the performance in two sentences.

“It was just embarrassing today. Defense was trash.”

South Carolina women's basketball was given a bitter reality check in today's top-ten clash

South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley directs her team against the UConn Huskies in the first half at Colonial Life Arena.
Jeff Blake-Imagn Images
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It is true that the Gamecocks have not looked like the juggernaut they were last year. Dawn Staley's team had its 43-game winning streak ended in definitive fashion to UCLA earlier this season. However, South Carolina's form seemed to improve since that setback.

Heading into February 9, the Gamecocks were riding an impressive 17-game winning streak. During this stretch, this team beat a staggering eight teams in the top 20. Unfortunately, recently, Dawn Staley and company have dropped two out of its last three games. And unlike the close loss at No. 4 Texas, Sunday's performance had no silver linings.

Despite Huskies star Paige Bueckers having an inefficient shooting day, the Gamecocks could not stop Geno Auriemma's team on offense. UConn scored the most points any team has against South Carolina this season, knocking down a devastating 13 threes. Senior guard Azzi Fudd led the Huskies with 28 points to give her team their best win of the season.

The No. 4 Gamecocks are now 23-3 overall and 11-1 in SEC play with still a chance of winning the regular season conference title. South Carolina has four more games on its schedule, including a Senior Day clash with No. 8 Kentucky. A win over the Wildcats would give the Gamecocks six top-ten wins on the season and secure a top-two seed in March regardless of what happens in the SEC Tournament.

Overall, South Carolina women's basketball has shown it has the level to compete with and beat the elite teams in the country. But this squad will have to scratch and claw its way back to the top of the college basketball hierarchy. Several contenders will be hungry to prevent Dawn Staley's team from becoming the sports' next dynasty. The Gamecocks are the hunted, but they're used to that. Now, the real work begins.