"Don't want to feel that way ever again": South Carolina player MiLaysia Fulwiley on dealing with the "harsh feeling" of UCLA defeat

In a snippet of a Matt Dowell interview with South Carolina player MiLaysia Fulwiley, the sophomore guard shared about what they've learnt from their defeat to UCLA.

The Gamecocks went down to the Bruins on Nov. 24 in their first loss since March 2023. The loss sent ripples through the college basketball world, as it marked the end of an incredible winning streak under head coach Dawn Staley.

For some players, the UCLA loss was an entirely new experience, as they had never lost a game in a Gamecocks uniform before. Among them is standout sophomore guard MiLaysia Fulwiley.

"I feel like our biggest takeaway is just probably to not let it happen again," Fulwiley said. "That's a harsh feeling and we don't want to feel that way ever again."

"And as far as [last year's] freshman, we had never lost a game. So it wasn't a great feeling for us, and it was an unusual feeling. It's just something that we work hard for each and every day for it to never happen again," she continued.

MiLaysia Fulwiley and the South Carolina Gamecocks experience defeat for the first time in 43 games

The South Carolina Gamecocks experienced their first defeat in 43 games on Nov. 24, falling to the newly ranked No. 1 UCLA Bruins.

The Gamecocks' last loss was on March 31, 2023, when they were defeated by Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes in the NCAA Tournament. Following that, South Carolina delivered an extraordinary 2023-24 season, achieving a perfect 41-0 record and securing Staley her third NCAA Championship title.

Fulwiley’s limited minutes this season have sparked widespread debate on social media, with these debates intensifying after the Gamecocks’ loss to UCLA. Despite the buzz, Fulwiley is 100% team-first in making sure that the South Carolina women don't lose again any time soon.

Since the loss, the Gamecocks have gone 2-0 with comprehensive wins over Iowa State and Purdue, and are looking to extend that to 3-0 with a win over the Duke Blue Devils tonight (Dec. 5).