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More than a year has passed since the South Carolina women’s college basketball team has lost. Can the Gamecocks go undefeated the rest of the 2022-23 season?

South Carolina is six victories from becoming the 10th team in NCAA Division I women’s basketball history to run the table to win the national title — and the first team since UConn in 2015 and 2016 to win back-to-back championships. Breanna Stewart and UConn put together the last perfect season, going 38-0 in 2016.

South Carolina, which is projected to be the No. 1 overall seed when the NCAA tournament bracket is revealed on Selection Sunday (8 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN App), improved to 32-0 on Sunday as it won the SEC conference tournament final. That’s the game that tripped up the Gamecocks last season, when Kentucky upset South Carolina in the SEC title game on March 6, 2022.

After that loss, South Carolina won six consecutive games to clinch its second NCAA championship. And the Gamecocks — led by reigning national player of the year Aliyah Boston and leading scorer Zia Cooke, who start alongside three other seniors — haven’t fallen since. South Carolina has won 19 consecutive games against AP-ranked opponents.

We’re tracking South Carolina’s perfect run, examining how the Gamecocks compare to the previous nine undefeated women’s national champions and revisiting perfect teams of the past.

Gamecocks channeling previous unbeaten teams

South Carolina’s calling cards this season have been defense, rebounding and depth, strengths of many unbeaten teams of the past. ESPN’s M.A. Voepel explains how the Gamecocks remind him of the 1986 Texas Longhorns team that became the first NCAA squad to go undefeated. Alexa Philippou dissects what stands out statistically about South Carolina compared to other perfect teams. And Charlie Creme examines how the Gamecocks might even have the edge over the 2016 Huskies in an important statistical metric. Story

A look at how South Carolina compares statistically with previous unbeaten teams:

Which teams might challenge South Carolina?

During Sunday’s “College GameDay,” analysts Andraya Carter, Rebecca Lobo and Carolyn Peck discussed what it would take to upend the Gamecocks — and three teams that might be able to do it.

Carter: “The Gamecocks, in my opinion, can’t be beat by anybody when they’re playing their best. But if South Carolina doesn’t bring its A-game, or if it starts to slip, Iowa can contend with South Carolina. Iowa hits nine 3-pointers a game. You have to be able to knock down 3s to compete with the Gamecocks because of the way they rebound the basketball. Iowa is shooting 50% from the field. Caitlin Clark is a walking 30-point, triple-double any single night. The Hawkeyes have a ton of weapons. South Carolina had 14 blocks against Ole Miss [in the SEC semifinals]. Clark is a crafty player who can score around some of that length.”

Lobo: “UConn intrigues me. We don’t know exactly what the Huskies are quite yet. It’s very similar to last year, when Paige Bueckers joined the team with two games left in the regular season. Before she returned, they did not look like a Final Four-caliber team. Once she did, they became a national championship contender. This year, it’s a very similar situation with Azzi Fudd. She rejoined the team Saturday and UConn won by double digits for the first time in over a month. They did not have a double-digit victory in February. Fudd completely changes this team. After Saturday’s game, Geno Auriemma said it just feels right when she’s on the floor. He said nobody in America is adding a player like Fudd. All of her teammates now can take a deep breath because they don’t feel like every shot they take is life or death. It’s going to be really interesting to see what UConn looks like heading into March Madness.”

Peck: “Indiana can give them a run. Teri Moren has said this is her best defensive team she has had at Indiana. A lot of that has to do with the presence of Grace Berger at the point and Mackenzie Holmes inside. That’s a good one-two punch. And then they have shooters on the perimeter in Yarden Garzon and Sara Scalia. The X factor is Sydney Parrish. She has brought the attitude and experience from success she had at Oregon to Bloomington.”

Past perfection

From the first team in NCAA women’s history to go unbeaten (Texas 1986) to the most recent (UConn 2016), we’ve covered them all. A look back at select stories from each team’s perfect run.

  • UConn 2016 (38-0): Stewart makes good on promise, delivers fourth championship

  • UConn 2014 (40-0): In battle of unbeatens, Stewart leads UConn to title

  • Baylor 2012 (40-0): 40 is the new 39 — Griner, Baylor make history

  • UConn 2010 (39-0): Imperfect game caps perfect season as Huskies find way to win

  • UConn 2009 (39-0): Oh Holy Husky Trinity! UConn caps third perfect season

  • UConn 2002 (39-0): Best team ever? | Frontcourt trio delivers third title

  • Tennessee 1998 (39-0): ‘Best team I’ve coached,’ Summitt later said

  • UConn 1995 (35-0): Balance, chemistry translated to Huskies history

  • Texas 1986 (34-0): Seniors, redemption fuel first perfect season

Latest news

  • South Carolina’s streak at No. 1 hits 37 weeks in row in AP Top 25

  • South Carolina (32-0) stays perfect, wins SEC title

  • Staley: ‘We don’t need a loss to make a push’

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