In Birmingham, Alabama, the atmosphere was electric as Dawn Staley, the renowned coach of South Carolina, celebrated her team’s triumph by engaging with fans, the band’s tunes, and even signing a fan’s baby’s pants.
With this victory, the Gamecocks return to a well-known venue: the Final Four in the women’s NCAA Tournament. In this tense matchup, South Carolina fought hard to secure their place.
Chloe Kitts emerged as a standout performer, netting 14 crucial points, as the reigning champions edged past Duke with a 54-50 win, marking their fifth successive advance to the national semifinals.
“It doesn’t always look pretty out there,” admitted Staley. “There are moments in games that aren’t seamless. But you have to adapt and play the game you’re given. When our scoring falters, our defense picks up the slack.”
It was this tenacious defense that propelled South Carolina forward. Now, as the tournament’s top seed, they are only two victories away from being the first to retain the title since UConn’s remarkable streak from 2013-16. Awaiting in the semifinals is the winner of the Texas-TCU clash, set for Monday night.
The Final Four showdown is scheduled for Friday night in Tampa, Florida.
Duke, sitting in the second seed, aimed for its first semis since 2006, striving to join their men’s team in the Final Four. South Carolina, now boasting a 34-3 record, faced a formidable challenge against Duke’s robust defense. They had previously averaged 80.5 points in games, yet found scoring a daunting task in this contest.
“They pushed us into poor shooting choices, nearly ending our run, especially in the initial half,” Staley reflected.
At a 46-46 deadlock, Sania Feagin, who contributed 12 points, clinched a pivotal jumper with just over four minutes remaining. Kitts, crowned the Most Outstanding Player of the region, followed with two vital free throws, stretching the lead to 50-46.
Toby Fournier, top scoring for Duke with 18 points, reduced the deficit with only minutes on the clock. Trailing 52-50 with half a minute left, Duke saw an opportunity when South Carolina’s Bree Hall committed an inbound offensive foul. This gave Duke a chance to potentially seize or equalize the lead.
However, Duke’s efforts fell short when Ashlon Jackson couldn’t convert a critical three-pointer, and Hall secured the rebound with South Carolina wisely calling a timeout.
“We placed the ball in Ashlon’s hands,” Duke coach Kara Lawson explained, “She had been effective late in the game, but her shot missed.”
Kitts, maintaining composure, sank two free throws, much to the delight of the majority of the 11,252 attendees supporting South Carolina. Duke, attempting a last play, turned over possession, allowing the Gamecocks to run the clock down.
“Our team showed tremendous resilience, though we fell short,” Lawson stated. “They played their hearts out, which is all a coach can ask for.”
Duke’s young squad, composed mainly of sophomores, will see this Elite Eight finish as a stepping-stone. Meanwhile, South Carolina is poised to cement its legacy in women’s college basketball.
South Carolina’s turnaround came in the fourth, overturning a 42-38 deficit to a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
Notably, despite a strong bench throughout the season, South Carolina’s reserves were outperformed 24-9 by Duke’s substitutes.
During the post-game celebrations, Staley experienced a novel moment when a supporter handed her their baby, requesting her autograph on the infant’s pants.
“That was unique. My hand was trembling,” remarked Staley, grinning.