Sparks star Rae Burrell reacts in 1-word to Elina Aarnisalo's UCLA heroics against South Carolina

LA Sparks guard Rae Burrell reacted to South Carolina Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley recognizing UCLA Bruins' Elina Aarnisalo's performance after a historic showdown between the two teams. Staley's USC's 43-game winning streak ended with a blowout loss to the Bruins on Sunday

After the loss, Staley highlighted that Aarnisalo's inclusion in the starting lineup played a big role in taking the game away from her team.

"I thought Elina [Aarnisalo] did a really great job," Staley said.

"I mean it was fun watching her on film. I was hoping that she could come off the bench and not get as many minutes, but she's the one that was really, really impressive," she added.

LA Sparks guard Rae Burrell shared a post by "@espnw" on her Instagram story, giving a one-word shoutout to Elina Aarnisalo.

"@elina.aarnisalo tufff 🤝🏿."

[Credit: IG/@raehoops]

Aarnisalo played 27 minutes in the game and made 6 of 10 shots from the field and 1 of 2 from the 3-point line. She also contributed with rebounds and 4 assists during the game.

Londynn Jones led UCLA with 15 points in just 19 minutes. Coming off the bench, she went 5-for-5 from three-point range and added three steals.

The Bruins defeated the Gamecocks 77-62, marking the largest loss for a No. 1 AP-ranked team in over four years and USC's biggest loss since 2019. According to ESPN, this was the Gamecocks' first loss since their 2023 Final Four appearance.

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LA Sparks Rae Burrell decides to play in Urivaled

The LA Sparks' decision to waive Rae Burrell before the 2023 season was a significant setback in her basketball career. Burrell had already faced knee injuries during her senior year at Tennessee and suffered another season-ending knee injury after just three games in her rookie year.

However, the Sparks brought Burrell back and she has since, proven her WNBA caliber. The 2024 season was a breakout year for Burrell.

While the Sparks struggled, Burrell made a name for herself. In just over 15 minutes, she averaged 5.9 points, 1.8 rebounds and 0.8 steals per game. After a quite successful season, the WNBA guard has decided to play in the inaugural "Unrivaled" league starting in January next year.

Participating in the 3X3 league will help Burrell earn additional money. Moreover, it will also help the Sparks guard refine her skills by competing against top-tier players.