South Carolina vs. UConn Reaction 👀 That was ‘INTENSE’ – Chiney Ogwumike

[0:00] and Christine Williamson here he just mentioned the zest at the end of that game as South Carolina [0:05] wins 62 to 48 a 14 a 14 point ball game and Andrea you mentioned earlier in the game that you felt [0:12] a tension in the air and we saw it kind of displayed at the end of that matchup what did [0:16] you guys see play out yeah what we saw at the end between the coaches is what was felt throughout [0:20] the entire game in terms of the intensity the players played so hard but this moment right [0:26] here was like everything boiling over yeah completely honestly Drea you and I we've been [0:31] doing this for a couple of years I also played in three final fours this was the most intense game [0:37] I have seen at this level and it's because they care that they're competitive that they're [0:42] passionate now let's be real here we understood that going into the final four with two SEC teams [0:48] which we know is the toughest conference their physicality there was going to be a narrative [0:52] there were going to be question marks about can the officials let them play that way [0:56] now [0:56] one thing I know is walking those shoes you have to throw the first punch you have to set the total [1:01] physicality then you regulate and then you settle into the game and I do believe watching this game [1:07] when you see the South Carolina game cause they're going to play their style and physical [1:11] and see if the rest will let them do that and I do think that's where Gino found that frustration [1:15] because his team was not able to get into an offensive rhythm when you look at UConn what [1:19] did they shoot they shot 31 percent from the field their layups that they normally make they [1:23] were missing the three-point shots they didn't have the rhythm because it felt like they were [1:26] getting moved [1:26] but that is how South Carolina plays that's their mo and so overall you read how the game is going [1:32] and sometimes you just have to play knowing that refs don't really call as much at this level yeah [1:36] it looked like South Carolina challenged UConn's ball handling UConn's one-on-one playmaking and [1:41] UConn's ability to handle pressure yeah that is what South Carolina was like we are going to put [1:45] to the test and they did it masterfully what does UConn always do well they're passing they're [1:50] cutting their movement they couldn't get any of that and when you're not used to that level of [1:55] physicality everything feels like a foul [1:56] right but when that physicality is the standard that is what South Carolina is used to that's [2:01] how SEC is every single night you play through that I am blown away one by South Carolina and [2:07] what they were able to do defensively to take the excellent sharpshooting of UConn out of the picture [2:11] but a got McKeer to me and tonight Watson was phenomenal we talked about the X factors being [2:17] transfers and freshmen we saw that but I have to go with the freshman I've got McKeer her [2:23] athleticism we're going to show highlights on the offensive end and she's fearless on the offensive [2:26] What we're not going to see on these highlights is the way she chased A.Z. Fudd [2:30] when she had the ball in her hands, when she didn't have the ball in her hands. [2:33] That finish in transition, falling under the rim, still able to lift it high. [2:37] This three-point shot with Quinones, the confidence from Agathe McKeer. [2:41] But we talked to her earlier this week about her career high [2:44] when she had 18 points in the regionals. [2:46] And she said, oh, I expect to play this way. [2:49] That's how she expects to play. [2:51] And I'll say this, as we're here in the building of the Phoenix Mercury, [2:53] the final WNBA game of the season, [2:56] Kalia Copper in the Phoenix Mercury fell short. [2:59] Kalia Copper put up a 30-piece. [3:00] She was fearless. [3:02] She was dominant. [3:02] Even though they lost, Kalia Copper is Agathe McKeer's favorite player. [3:07] It makes sense the way Agathe McKeer plays because of the player that she watches. [3:11] When you see somebody, you can be somebody. [3:13] And just the way Agathe McKeer was able to play, [3:16] it all fell together today in this building. [3:18] Yeah, I love that because to win at this level, [3:21] you need stars to show up, of course. [3:22] But you also need that. [3:23] Element of surprise. [3:25] And Agathe McKeer was surprise factor. [3:26] Surprise, surprise. [3:27] But more importantly, we shouldn't have been shocked. [3:29] So far, every tournament game off the bench, she's had double figures. [3:32] She's ascending at the perfect time, averaging around 15 points per game. [3:35] So we now know she is capable at this moment. [3:38] But most importantly, y'all, I love how they went back to Joyce Edwards as well. [3:42] Joyce Edwards, it was not perfect. [3:44] It was not pretty at times. [3:45] But it was powerful. [3:47] You win at this level by rebounding. [3:48] And they were relentless. [3:49] That was a separation factor. [3:51] I said this matchup was going to be about finesse or force. [3:53] South Carolina is forced. [3:55] They did not finish the way that they normally do. [3:57] But she was forceful at the basket, at the rim, getting downhill, getting those attempts up. [4:01] So I was very impressed with Joyce Edwards as well alongside Agathe McKeer. [4:05] When are you foul prone? [4:06] When offensive rebound, when you give up offensive rebounds, you're prone to fouling. [4:09] And when players can get on the hips of defenders, South Carolina did both of those things so well. [4:14] Yeah. [4:14] UConn has not been held below 50 points in any game since the 2022 game against South Carolina. [4:21] That was a loss as well. [4:22] All right. [4:23] 48, the final there. [4:25] Coach Dawn Staley mentioned that Gino Auriemma said something to her postgame about the fact that she didn't shake her hand, his hand, pregame. [4:34] And we want to show you that video really fast. [4:36] This is the pregame video. [4:39] That's pregame? [4:40] This is pregame. [4:41] And she did say that she went up and shook everybody's hand on that staff. [4:45] She didn't know. [4:46] Maybe Gino remembers it a little bit differently than what we just saw there. [4:50] Yeah. [4:50] Or, I mean, you're never going to know what they said to each other. [4:53] Like, it's loud in here. [4:54] Who knows? [4:55] But all that matters really is there was frustration probably from the game boiling over as well. [5:00] There were a number of miscues. [5:01] That could be one. [5:02] And also Sarah Strong's jersey was a miscue because I know he was mad about that as well. [5:06] But she ripped it herself. [5:07] Exactly. [5:07] Yeah. [5:08] There's a lot going on with us this instance. [5:10] Overall, the word is the one that Andrea used earlier. [5:13] It's tension. [5:14] Yeah. [5:15] There was a lot of tension in that matchup. [5:16] And it was a really good one. [5:17] 62 to 48, the final.