Part 3/7:
Don Staley, while respected as a savvy coach, seemed to mismanage her roster during this game. Star player Malaysia F. Wiy was reportedly on the bench for an inordinate amount of time, only making a brief five-minute appearance. Fans noted that Wiy, who was touted as a freshman talent in conversation with stellar athletes like Hannah Hadalo and JuJu Watkins, was crucially absent when her team faced a daunting 24-point deficit.
In contrast, UCLA continuously pushed their advantages, allowing their players to dictate the game flow. They demonstrated an impressive shooting accuracy of 66% from three-point range, quickly accumulating points while undermining South Carolina’s defense.