Colonial Life Arena played host to a matchup between the No. 2-ranked Gamecocks and the No. 5-ranked Texas Longhorns, but it was anything but a friendly welcome for Texas. The Gamecocks, led by head coach Dawn Staley, cruised to a decisive 67-50 victory, leaving Vic Schaefer’s Longhorns with more questions than answers as they began their journey in the Southeastern Conference (SEC).
Texas came into this matchup hoping to rise to the occasion. Coach Vic Schaefer had tried to set a relaxed tone for his team days earlier, reminding everyone that, at its core, this was just another basketball game. “We’re pretty good. They’re pretty good,” Schaefer remarked. “Let’s go play.” But by the end of the game, it was clear that South Carolina was far better prepared and executed at a much higher level.
The Longhorns struggled mightily to find their rhythm offensively, shooting just 27.8% from the field—marking their third-worst shooting performance in Schaefer’s five seasons at Texas. Standout players like Madison Booker, Aaliyah Moore, and Shay Holle all had off-nights. Booker, in particular, endured one of her most difficult outings in burnt orange, converting only 3 of her 19 shot attempts. Moore and Holle didn’t fare much better, going 2-for-9 and 1-for-5, respectively.
“We’re a tough team, and we knew they’d be scrappy, but tonight, we just couldn’t finish,” said Texas associate head coach Elena Lovato. “We were 12-for-32 at the rim, and we knew we could attack. We just didn’t capitalize on those opportunities.”
The statistics painted an unflattering picture for Texas. Their nine points in the first quarter marked a season low, as did their 22-point output in the first half. The Longhorns created opportunities, securing 15 offensive rebounds before halftime, but they only managed six second-chance points.
Meanwhile, South Carolina made quick work of their offensive possessions. The Gamecocks shot a blistering 15-for-21 in the first half and didn’t rely on offensive rebounds to build their lead. By halftime, they held a commanding 39-22 advantage, with the Longhorns unable to find any meaningful answers.
This kind of dominance wasn’t entirely unfamiliar to Texas fans. The last time the Longhorns were outmatched this badly was in the 2021 NCAA Tournament’s Elite Eight, where South Carolina also handed them a crushing loss. That game saw Texas shoot just 23% from the field, and there was another similarly dreadful performance against Baylor in the same season, where they managed only 24.6%.
Coach Lovato acknowledged the Longhorns’ struggles on offense, attributing some of their difficulties to a lack of ball movement and composure. “We usually share the ball better than we did tonight,” she said. “There was a lot of selfish play on our end. Credit to South Carolina—they’re scrappy, greedy, and their defense sped us up.” Lovato also hinted that the team might need to shake things up in practice by turning their men’s practice players loose to simulate the pressure they faced in this game.
Despite the lopsided loss, there were some individual highlights for Texas. Guard Rori Harmon showcased her defensive instincts by drawing two charges, even frustrating Staley enough to kick the scorers’ table in reaction. Kyla Oldacre provided a strong presence in the paint, recording a double-double with 11 points and 16 rebounds. Freshman forward Justice Carlton also showed promise, finishing 4-for-9 from the field and scoring eight points.
Still, the bright spots weren’t enough to mask the larger issues Texas faced. This was not how Schaefer envisioned the start of SEC play, let alone the beginning of a grueling three-game road trip. The Longhorns now turn their attention to Auburn, where they’ll play on Thursday, followed by a high-profile matchup against Maryland in the Coretta Scott King Classic next Monday. Texas won’t return to their home court at Moody Center until January 23, when they’ll host Tennessee.
For South Carolina, the victory was another feather in the cap of an already stellar season. With a 16-1 record (4-0 SEC), the Gamecocks solidified their reputation as one of the nation’s top teams. Staley’s squad has shown time and again that they can dominate both ends of the floor, and this game was no exception.
Meanwhile, Texas, now 16-2 overall and 3-1 in the SEC, will need to regroup quickly if they hope to compete at the highest level. Schaefer and his coaching staff plan to review film and hold one-on-one meetings with players to address the team’s shortcomings. “We’ll break it all down,” Lovato said. “Coach will go over it with the whole team, and we’ll make adjustments.”
This loss is a stark reminder of the challenges Texas faces as they adapt to life in the SEC, where every game presents an opportunity to learn and grow—or to be humbled. South Carolina delivered that lesson in emphatic fashion, making sure the Longhorns wouldn’t soon forget their rude welcome to the conference.
