South Carolina junior forward Chloe Kitts struggled as the No. 1 Gamecocks fell to No. 5 UCLA 77-62 on Sunday at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles.
Kitts, who leads South Carolina with an average of 14 points per game, managed just two points on 1-for-7 shooting, along with seven rebounds and two steals. She played nearly 12 minutes but was unable to find her offensive rhythm.
South Carolina, which entered the game averaging 45.6 points in the paint, was held to just 18 by UCLA's stout defense. For Chloe Kitts, it marked her second single-digit scoring game of the season. She previously scored four points on 2-for-7 shooting against Clemson, where she also had eight rebounds and one steal.
A pivotal moment came late in the first quarter when Chloe Kitts attempted a jumper, only to have 6-foot-7 center Lauren Betts emphatically block the shot, sending Kitts to the floor. The Bruins ended the quarter leading 20-10.
The Gamecocks were limited to 36% shooting, with just two players scoring in double figures. They never led during the game, were outrebounded 41-34 and were outscored 26-18 in the paint and 8-1 in fast-break points. South Carolina also made only eight trips to the free-throw line.
Below are Chloe Kitts' stats from the game:
Chloe Kitts and South Carolina fall to UCLA in a stunning upset
For the past three years, the South Carolina Gamecocks have dominated women’s college basketball. Entering this game with a 4-0 record and the top spot in the AP poll, South Carolina seemed poised to continue their reign.
However, UCLA delivered a commanding performance on their home court, handing the Gamecocks (5-1) their first loss since April 2023, when Caitlin Clark and Iowa defeated them in the NCAA Tournament national semifinals.
The Gamecocks struggled offensively from the start, missing their first nine shots and falling behind 20-10 by the end of the first quarter. They trailed 43-22 at halftime. While South Carolina improved in the second half, the early deficit was insurmountable.
Although the Gamecocks found some rhythm in transition, they couldn’t string together more than five consecutive points. Shifting their focus to perimeter shooting yielded little success. Their 62-point output was their lowest of the season, largely due to UCLA's suffocating defense, which clogged the paint and shut down driving lanes.
South Carolina managed only 18 points in the paint and shot just 16-for-54 on 2-point attempts, finishing the game with a lackluster 36.4% shooting percentage overall. The Bruins’ defense was particularly effective against South Carolina’s starters, holding three of them to 20% or less shooting. Bree Hall and Raven Johnson each shot just 1-for-5.
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