South Carolina thrash NC State to stay perfect and reach NCAA title game
All-America center Kamilla Cardoso scored 22 points and undefeated South Carolina avoided a second straight stumble in the women’s Final Four, edging past North Carolina State 78-59 on Friday night.
The talented and tenacious Gamecocks (37-0) led by one at halftime before putting their full arsenal on display in the third quarter. They defeated the Wolfpack 29-6, turning a close game into another blowout.
South Carolina advanced to Sunday’s championship game at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, where it will meet the winner of the second semifinal between Iowa and UConn — a matchup featuring star guard Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers that has caused a stir across America.
Aziaha James scored 20 points for No. 3 seed NC State (31-7), eliminating a No. 1 and a No. 2 seed to reach Cleveland.
The Wolfpack had no chance against the Gamecocks, who were the unanimous No. 1 seed in the AP Top 25 for most of the season and are looking to become the first undefeated national champions since UConn in 2016.
Cardoso added 11 rebounds while playing just 23 minutes. She hurt her right leg late in the first half and returned in the third quarter, wearing a black compression stocking. She didn’t play in the fourth.
Ashlyn Watkins was just as dominant inside for the Gamecocks, finishing with 20 rebounds and eight points. Raven Johnson added 13 points.
Unlike a year ago, when South Carolina stormed into the Final Four in Dallas with an identical 36-0 record before losing to Clark and Iowa in the semifinals, the Gamecocks have been impeccable this season.
The 6-foot-4 Cardoso made sure of that, despite not moving as well as normal after the injury. South Carolina, which won by an average of 29.6 points this season, left no doubt after halftime, showing its dominance to a sold-out crowd and a national TV audience.
Te-Hina Paopao and Johnson made 3-pointers as the Gamecocks quickly extended their lead to 10, closing the quarter with a dazzling 17-1 run that quieted the raucous NC State crowd.
While this unprecedented season of women’s basketball was largely powered by Clark’s assault on the record books with her logo-distanced three-pointers and charisma-inspiring fans from coast to coast, one team rose to the top.
It’s been South Carolina all along.
These Gamecocks have ruled the roost with equal amounts of depth, talent and swag.
Staley wasn’t sure what type of team she had when the season started after having to replace five starters from last year’s squad. She also worried about the carefree attitude of her young team and whether this group would mature.
But not only have the Gamecocks bonded and pulled themselves together, they are also one of the victories in cementing South Carolina as a dynasty.
Cardoso, who declared for the WNBA draft earlier this week, started to settle in in the second quarter. The Brazilian scored South Carolina’s first 12 points before Johnson’s jumper put the Gamecocks up 30-24.
But on South Carolina’s next possession, Cardoso twisted her right ankle on a drive and limped to her feet. After struggling to get back on defense, she fouled out to get a whistle so Staley could get her off the floor.