Long Island's Lauren Hansen hits winning shot as Missouri shocks No. 1 South Carolina
Missouri players celebrate at the end of a game against South Carolina on Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021 in Columbia, Mo. The Tigers defeated the Gamecocks in overtime 70-69. Credit: AP/Colin E. Braley
Long Island’s Lauren Hansen hit a driving layup with 0.1 seconds left as unranked Missouri shocked No. 1 South Carolina 70-69 in overtime Thursday night.
Hansen, a junior guard who played at Ward Melville High School, finished with 21 points and seven rebounds.
The host Tigers had just eight players available for the game due to COVID-19 protocol and only seven played. Hansen played 42 minutes.
The Tigers (12-2) beat a No. 1 team for the first time in program history. It marked only the seventh time an unranked team has beaten the top-ranked team.
"This is a huge win for us and I couldn’t be more proud," Missouri coach Robin Pingleton said. "The grit they showed and the belief. Their ability to play through tough possessions and different players stepped up at different times."
South Carolina (12-1) trailed by as many as six points in the final three minutes of regulation. The Gamecocks led 69-68 with less than five seconds to play in overtime when Hansen drove to the basket and scored on the layup.
Hansen was named Newsday’s Suffolk Player of the Year as a senior, when she averaged 27.8 points per game and made a Long Island-best 79 three-pointers.
Hansen started her collegiate career at Auburn, but left after one season. She is averaging 11.2 points per game for Missouri this season.
