Bree Hall reveals how she consoled an emotional Raven Johnson as South Carolina waved the white flag vs UConn in NCAA title game

The South Carolina Gamecocks fell short in their bid to win back-to-back titles in the NCAA Tournament as they were defeated 82-59 by the UConn Huskies on Sunday. It was a tough outing for some players as they failed to find a way past UConn's defense.

Following the game, the South Carolina players were heartbroken and Raven Johnson was crying on the bench as Bree Hall consoled her. During the postgame press conference, Hall opened up on what she said to Johnson as consolation.

"It was actually a very cute moment," Bree Hall said. "But I told her to keep your head up. I didn't want any pictures of her crying. She has been amazing for us.

"She has been amazing to the program. I feel this is just a small bump in the road. We made it farther than a lot of people thought we would. So I just told her to keep her head up, it's ok."

Raven Johnson is a red-shirt junior and this would have been her final season with the Gamecocks as she is eligible for the 2025 WNBA draft. However, it is possible that the guard could return for another season to finish her college career on a winning note.

Johnson has made the Final Fours in every season of her college career with the Gamecocks. She also featured in the national championship finals thrice, winning the title twice.

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The South Carolina Gamecocks struggled to score points against the UConn Huskies' exceptional stranglehold defense

The Gamecocks were the second-best team in the title clash, as the Huskies didn't allow them any space to work with. All five of the starters for South Carolina finished with single-digit points on the night.

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The senior players Te-Hina Paopao, Sania Feagin and Bree Hall combined for only 13 points. Meanwhile, freshman Joyce Edwards scored 10 points, but she missed a lot of shots, piling pressure on Gamecocks' defense.

Raven Johnson and Chloe Kitts also tried their best but finished with nine and two points, respectively. Courtesy of UConn's exceptional defense, South Carolina was forced to make tough plays, and it completely worked against them.

MiLaysia Fulwiley had a decent outing and was probably the best player for the Gamecocks. She finished with nine points, four assists, two rebounds, two steals and a block during her 18-minute stay on the court.