PERFECT TIMING
Dominant third quarter ensures Gamecocks remain unbeaten
All-America centre Kamilla Cardoso scored 22 points and unbeaten South Carolina avoided a second straight stumble in the women’s Final Four by surging past North Carolina State 78-59 on Friday night.
The talented and tenacious Gamecocks, now 37-0, led by one at halftime before putting their full arsenal on display in the third quarter. They outscored the Wolfpack 29-6 to turn what had been a tense matchup into another blowout.
South Carolina advanced to Sunday’s championship game at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse against the winner of Friday’s late semifinal between Iowa and UConn.
Aziaha James scored 20 points for No. 3-seeded N.C. State, which knocked off a No. 1 and a No. 2 to get to Cleveland. But the Wolfpack had no shot against the Gamecocks, a unanimous No. 1 pick for most of the season in the AP top 25 and aiming to become the first undefeated national champion 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 sleeve, then did not play in the fourth.
Ashlyn Watkins was just as dominant inside for the Gamecocks, finishing with 20 rebounds along with eight points.
Unlike a year ago, when South Carolina stormed into the Final Four in Dallas with an identical 36-0 record before losing to Caitlin Clark and Iowa in the semis, the Gamecocks kept this season pristine.
The six-foot-seven Cardoso made sure of it despite not moving as well as usual after the injury. South Carolina, which won by an average of 29.6 points in the regular season, left no doubt after halftime.
Te-Hina Paopao and Johnson made three-pointers as the Gamecocks quickly stretched their lead to 10, then closed the quarter with a dizzying 17-1 run that quieted a row- dy N.C. State crowd.
Cardoso, who declared for the WNBA draft this week, began to establish herself inside 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 tweaked her right ankle on a drive and came up limping. After struggling to get back on defence, she fouled to get a whistle and get off the floor.