South-Carolina

Ruthless UConn is coming for national title, and South Carolina is next victim | Opinion

Published

9 months ago

April 5, 2025

Ruthless UConn is coming for national title, and South Carolina is next victim | Opinion

TAMPA, Florida — UConn isn’t letting Paige Bueckers leave without a national title, so woe to anyone who tries to get in their way.

Just ask UCLA, which was effectively run off the floor by halftime Friday night and wound up on the wrong end of an 85-51 loss. That would be the overall No. 1-seeded Bruins, mind you. Or Oklahoma, which is still licking its wounds from the 40 points Bueckers dropped on the Sooners a week ago.

Heck, ask South Carolina, which headed for the exits at halftime of UConn’s beatdown of UCLA, having experienced this nightmare once already. UConn shellacked the defending champs on their home court less than two months ago. They didn’t need to watch UCLA get picked apart to know what awaits them in Sunday afternoon’s title game.

There was, oh, three decades or so when everyone hated UConn because the Huskies were just better than everyone else. They collected titles like European royalty – 11 so far, for those counting – and the Final Four might as well have been a scheduled game. UConn coach Geno Auriemma had his pick of All-Americans, the Huskies alums a “Who’s Who” of women’s basketball.

But all dynasties eventually end, and the game had seemingly caught up to UConn these last few years. The Huskies haven’t won a title since 2016, and have only made one appearance in the title game since then. It’s South Carolina that’s the team to beat now, reaching the title game for the third time in four years after routing Texas in the other national semifinal.

We all should have known better.

Since a loss to Tennessee on Feb. 6, no team in the country is playing better than UConn. And the Huskies haven’t just been good. They’ve been ruthless, snatching the very souls from their opponents.

They’ve won 15 in a row, all but two by 20 or more points. They’re outscoring their NCAA tournament opponents by 30-plus points, with Bueckers averaging 29 points on 58.7% shooting in her first three games.

Against UCLA, they had a double-digit lead by the end of the first quarter. They’d harassed UCLA into 10 turnovers midway through the second, two more than the Bruins had field goals.

And in perhaps the most audacious moment of the entire night, with less than two minutes left in the first half, Azzi Fudd stripped Elina Aarnisalo and whipped the ball to Bueckers. Bueckers, spotting Kiki Rice at her side, shoved the ball to Kaitlyn Chen, who scored on a layup that put UConn up 39-22.

Bueckers and Chen burst into laughter. UCLA had to want to cry.

But this is UConn and Bueckers’ year.

Bueckers is one of Auriemma’s all-time favorite players – somewhere between 1 and 1,000, she joked last weekend – but her career has not exactly been smooth. She was a freshman during COVID, playing in empty arenas. She missed part of her sophomore season with a knee injury, then tore her ACL weeks before her junior season was to begin.

Last year, Bueckers was healthy but the rest of the Huskies were being held together by bubble gum and sticky tape. That they even got to the Final Four was a minor miracle.

Everything has fallen into place this year for UConn, and the Huskies aren’t about to waste it. They want a title, and they’ll run over anyone they have to to get it.

Consider yourselves warned, South Carolina.

Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.

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South-Carolina

South Carolina Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 results for Jan. 3, 2026

Published

8 hours ago

January 4, 2026

Press Room

South Carolina Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 results for Jan. 3, 2026

The South Carolina Education Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Jan. 3, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from Jan. 3 drawing

18-21-40-53-60, Powerball: 23, Power Play: 3

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 Plus FIREBALL numbers from Jan. 3 drawing

Midday: 1-8-9, FB: 9

Evening: 0-5-1, FB: 0

Check Pick 3 Plus FIREBALL payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 Plus FIREBALL numbers from Jan. 3 drawing

Midday: 2-5-1-7, FB: 9

Evening: 3-9-5-0, FB: 0

Check Pick 4 Plus FIREBALL payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from Jan. 3 drawing

Midday: 12

Evening: 07

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Palmetto Cash 5 numbers from Jan. 3 drawing

02-06-23-25-33

Check Palmetto Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from Jan. 3 drawing

28-40-52-53-54, Powerball: 12

Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

The South Carolina Education Lottery provides multiple ways to claim prizes, depending on the amount won:

For prizes up to $500, you can redeem your winnings directly at any authorized South Carolina Education Lottery retailer. Simply present your signed winning ticket at the retailer for an immediate payout.

Winnings $501 to $100,000, may be redeemed by mailing your signed winning ticket along with a completed claim form and a copy of a government-issued photo ID to the South Carolina Education Lottery Claims Center. For security, keep copies of your documents and use registered mail to ensure the safe arrival of your ticket.

SC Education Lottery

P.O. Box 11039

Columbia, SC 29211-1039

For large winnings above $100,000, claims must be made in person at the South Carolina Education Lottery Headquarters in Columbia. To claim, bring your signed winning ticket, a completed claim form, a government-issued photo ID, and your Social Security card for identity verification. Winners of large prizes may also set up an Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) for convenient direct deposit of winnings.

Columbia Claims Center

1303 Assembly Street

Columbia, SC 29201

Claim Deadline: All prizes must be claimed within 180 days of the draw date for draw games.

For more details and to access the claim form, visit the South Carolina Lottery claim page.

When are the South Carolina Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 10:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 11 p.m. ET on Tuesday and Friday.
Pick 3: Daily at 12:59 p.m. (Midday) and 6:59 p.m. (Evening).
Pick 4: Daily at 12:59 p.m. (Midday) and 6:59 p.m. (Evening).
Cash Pop: Daily at 12:59 p.m. (Midday) and 6:59 p.m. (Evening).
Palmetto Cash 5: 6:59 p.m. ET daily.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a South Carolina editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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South-Carolina

South Carolina Lottery Pick 3, Pick 4 results for Dec. 28, 2025

Published

6 days ago

December 29, 2025

Press Room

The South Carolina Education Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Dec. 28, 2025, results for each game:

Winning Pick 3 Plus FIREBALL numbers from Dec. 28 drawing

Evening: 8-4-9, FB: 2

Check Pick 3 Plus FIREBALL payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 Plus FIREBALL numbers from Dec. 28 drawing

Evening: 5-6-2-0, FB: 2

Check Pick 4 Plus FIREBALL payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from Dec. 28 drawing

Evening: 07

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Palmetto Cash 5 numbers from Dec. 28 drawing

03-10-14-21-34

Check Palmetto Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

The South Carolina Education Lottery provides multiple ways to claim prizes, depending on the amount won:

SC Education Lottery

P.O. Box 11039

Columbia, SC 29211-1039

Columbia Claims Center

1303 Assembly Street

Columbia, SC 29201

Claim Deadline: All prizes must be claimed within 180 days of the draw date for draw games.

For more details and to access the claim form, visit the South Carolina Lottery claim page.

When are the South Carolina Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 10:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 11 p.m. ET on Tuesday and Friday.
Pick 3: Daily at 12:59 p.m. (Midday) and 6:59 p.m. (Evening).
Pick 4: Daily at 12:59 p.m. (Midday) and 6:59 p.m. (Evening).
Cash Pop: Daily at 12:59 p.m. (Midday) and 6:59 p.m. (Evening).
Palmetto Cash 5: 6:59 p.m. ET daily.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a South Carolina editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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South-Carolina

SLED investigates shooting involving SCDNR officer

Published

7 days ago

December 28, 2025

Press Room

SLED investigates shooting involving SCDNR officer

EDGEFIELD COUNTY, S.C. (WPDE) — A South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) officer was involved in a shooting early Sunday morning in Edgefield County.

SCDNR said their officer was shot at repeatedly but sustained no injuries.

Preliminary reports indicate a possible silver or light blue four-door sedan was the subject vehicle involved in the shooting, according to SCDNR.

South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) is investigating.

Anyone with information in this incident is asked to call (866)472-8477.

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