"Lit a fire under our butts": Te-Hina Paopao reveals how defeat to Lauren Betts' UCLA lifted pressure off of Dawn Staley's South Carolina

Earlier in the season, South Carolina faced a tough challenge against No. 1-ranked UCLA, resulting in their first and only loss. However, Te-Hina Paopao said that the team used the defeat as a learning experience. The loss to UCLA wasn’t a setback but rather a wake-up call for the team.

Head coach Dawn Staley played a pivotal role in keeping the team focused after the defeat. Reflecting on that game, Paopao shared her perspective during an interview with Yahoo Sports’ Cassandra Negley:

“That loss really helped us, you know," Paopao said. "Be who we are today. They really lit a fire under our butts.”

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Before that, in the interview, she also said:

"Trusting in our circle. We have to keep everything within our circle and just keep trusting the people that are in it and that the loss really helped us"

Meanwhile, South Carolina’s women’s basketball team sent a powerful message to the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and the nation with a decisive victory over Texas on Sunday. The Gamecocks showcased their strength in a 67-50 win over the Longhorns.

Te-Hina Paopao and her team built a strong on-court defense

Both South Carolina and Texas entered the game with impressive 15-1 records. South Carolina’s only loss came against No. 1-ranked UCLA, while Texas had fallen to No. 3-ranked Notre Dame.

The Gamecocks held the Longhorns to just nine points in the first quarter, a season-low for Texas, and only 21 points by halftime. The Longhorns struggled to find their rhythm, shooting a mere 23% from the field in the first half. Meanwhile, South Carolina capitalized on their opportunities, hitting 71% of their shots.

Te-Hina Paopao spearheaded the Gamecocks with 11 points and four rebounds, maintaining her outstanding season. Altogether, eight of the 10 players who took the court for South Carolina scored, highlighting the team’s depth and collective effort.

South Carolina’s balanced scoring was exemplified by Paopao’s sharp shooting, including 2-of-3 from beyond the arc. The Gamecocks’ dominant performance against Texas significantly impacted the national rankings.

Heading into the matchup, Texas held the No. 1 spot in the NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) rankings. South Carolina, previously at No. 1, had dropped to No. 2. However, the victory over Texas propelled the Gamecocks back to the top of the NET rankings.