The South Carolina Gamecocks women's basketball team suffered its first defeat in 43 games on Sunday after a 77-62 loss to the UCLA Bruins. UCLA made it clear that they deserve the basketball world's respect and should be considered one of the country's top teams in what was a dominant win over the defending national champions.

A strong defensive effort helped No. 5 UCLA crush No. 1 South Carolina in a stunning 77-62 victory on Sunday, snapping the reigning national champions' 43-game winning streak. This marked UCLA's first win over an AP No. 1 team in program history.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Just a few weeks before South Carolina began its campaign to defend its national title, fifth-year senior Te-Hina Paopao laughed and joked with teammates on the sideline during practice as coach Dawn Staley stood nearby and rattled off feedback to players conducting a full-court drill.

The three-time and defending national champion Gamecocks are headed to Baltimore next year. Three months after Coppin State women’s basketball coach Jermaine Woods jumped at a social media request from South Carolina’s legendary coach Dawn Staley, she returned the favor. Staley… pic.twitter.com/JndxVFFmi0

South Carolina's 43-game win streak was snapped by UCLA, just weeks after Dawn Staley warned that every team on the schedule would be playing their best against the Gamecocks