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Printed Apr 05, 2024 • 3 minute learn
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CLEVELAND —All-America centre Kamilla Cardoso scored 22 factors and unbeaten South Carolina emphatically stored its good season going, advancing to the championship recreation of the ladies’s NCAA Event with a 78-59 victory over North Carolina State on Friday evening.
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The gifted and tenacious Gamecocks (37-0) led by one at halftime earlier than placing their full arsenal on show within the third quarter. They outscored the Wolfpack 29-6 to show what had been a tense matchup into one other blowout.
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South Carolina will meet the winner of the second Last 4 recreation between Iowa and UConn — a matchup that includes stars Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers that has created a buzz throughout America — for the nationwide title on Sunday.
Aziaha James scored 20 factors for No. 3 seed N.C. State (31-7), which knocked off a No. 1 and a No. 2 seed to get to Cleveland.
The Wolfpack had no shot towards the Gamecocks, who have been a unanimous No. 1 a lot of the season within the AP High 25 and are aiming to develop into the primary undefeated nationwide champions since UConn in 2016.
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Cardoso added 11 rebounds whereas taking part in simply 23 minutes. She harm her proper leg late within the first half and returned within the third quarter, carrying a black compression sleeve on the leg. She didn’t play within the fourth.
Ashlyn Watkins was simply as dominant inside for the Gamecocks, ending with 20 rebounds together with eight factors. Raven Johnson added 13 factors.
N.C. State coach Wes Moore knew his staff must play its finest to have any likelihood of bringing down larger, badder South Carolina.
On Thursday, he likened the semifinal to a David-vs.-Goliath matchup and promised his staff would “put the stone within the sling and let it rip.” The Wolfpack wanted greater than stones.
Relishing the underdog function, the Wolfpack have been hoping to copy a number of the magic the college’s conjured in 1983, when N.C. State, coached by Jim Valvano, shocked the ring world by beating closely favoured Houston within the NCAA title recreation — an upset that helped outline March insanity.
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However not like a yr in the past, when South Carolina stormed into the Last 4 in Dallas with an an identical 36-0 file earlier than dropping to Clark and Iowa within the semis, the Gamecocks stored this season pristine.
The 6-foot-7 Cardoso made positive of it regardless of not transferring in addition to standard after the damage. South Carolina, which received by a mean of 29.6 factors this season, left little doubt after halftime, exhibiting its dominance to a sellout crowd and a nationwide TV viewers.
Te-Hina Paopao and Johnson made 3-pointers because the Gamecocks shortly stretched their result in 10, and so they closed the quarter with a dizzying 17-1 run that quieted a rowdy N.C. State crowd.
Whereas this unprecedented season of girls’s basketball has been largely pushed by Clark’s assault on the file books along with her logo-distance 3-pointers and charisma inspiring followers from coast to coast, one staff rose to the highest.
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It’s been South Carolina all alongside.
These Gamecocks have dominated the roost with equal quantities of depth, expertise and swagger.
Staley wasn’t positive what kind of staff she had when the season started after having to interchange 5 starters from final yr’s squad. She additionally frightened about her younger staff’s carefree perspective and whether or not this group would mature.
However not solely did the Gamecocks bond and get themselves collectively, they’re one win from cementing South Carolina as a dynasty.
Cardoso, who declared for the WNBA draft earlier this week, started to determine herself inside within the second quarter. The Brazilian scored South Carolina’s first 12 factors earlier than Johnson’s jumper put the Gamecocks up 30-24.
However on South Carolina’s subsequent possession, Cardoso tweaked her proper ankle on a drive and got here up limping. After struggling to get again on defence, she fouled to get a whistle so Staley might get her off the ground.
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