The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
South Carolina seizes control
Unbeaten Gamecocks pull away in third quarter, advance to national championship game
Thirty-seven down. One to go. South Carolina’s quest for perfection got a brief scare from NC State — and star center Kamilla Cardoso’s ankle — in Game 1 of a semifinal doubleheader in the Women’s Final Four on April 5 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
But the Gamecocks found their footing early in the second half, as did Cardoso fortunately following that scare, to clamp a vise grip on a 78-59 victory.
Cardoso, a 6-foot-7 senior center and projected lottery pick in
the upcoming WNBA draft, was outstanding throughout, finishing with a double-double of 22 points on 10-for-12 shooting from the floor to go with 11 rebounds.
Now 37-0, South Carolina awaits the winner of the late game between Iowa and Connecticut, which was not completed in time for the April 6 print edition.
Up by one at halftime, South Carolina opened a 10-point lead at 42-32 a little less than two minutes into the second half on a 3-pointer by Raven Johnson.
The Wolfpack (31-7) didn’t come close to threatening again.
South Carolina took a 32-31 lead into halftime.
Cardoso was dominant in the opening half, especially on the low block and in transition, with 16 points on 7-for-9 shooting and seven rebounds. She exited with a little less than two minutes remaining in the second quarter favoring her right foot, but returned for the start of the second half.
Mimi Collins connected on a 3 in the final minute of the stanza to tie it at 30, then split a pair from the line to make it a onepoint game at the half for NC State. The Wolfpack gamely hung within striking distance, not shy looking for 3s.
Aziaha James paced NC State with 10 points in the first 20 minutes but struggled from the floor to the tune of 4-for-12 as South Carolina seized control. James netted 20 overall.
Collins had seven points and five rebounds, and River Baldwin, battling Cardoso in the paint, contributed six points and four rebounds in the first half.
Ashlyn Watkins came off the
bench to pull down eight rebounds for the Gamecocks before half and had double figures on the boards barely into the third en route to 20 on the night. Watkins is the fifth player in Women’s Final Four lore to pull down at least 20 rebounds in a
game.
MiLaysia Fulwiley’s layup and a Cardoso putback off an offensive rebound pushed the advantage to 55-36 late in the third. South Carolina enjoyed a 17-3 cushion in fastbreak points following Fulwiley’s bucket.
Te-Hina Paopao’s 3 in the final minute of the third, then Ohio native Bree Hall’s 3 at the buzzer, made
it a 61-37 game entering the fourth.
Johnson (13) and Paopao (10) joined Cardoso in double figures.
The Gamecocks held the Wolfpack to 29.5% shooting through three quarters, including 21.4% from long distance, while firing for a robust 50% from the floor and 39% from 3.
Up, 67-45, South Carolina coach Dawn Staley still wasn’t satisfied, letting her team have it going into a timeout even with the outcome well in hand.
NC State was making its first Women’s Final Four appearance since 1998 but couldn’t match South Carolina’s depth and post play paced by Cardoso and Watkins.
Baldwin got into double figures with James with 12, as did Zoe Brooks with 10.