The No. 1 South Carolina women色中色视频檚 basketball team advanced to its second national championship in three seasons after defeating No. 3 seed NC State 78-59 in its Final Four matchup Friday night.
The 色中色视频s used a dominant performance in the paint and an offensive explosion in the third quarter to pick up the win.
色中色视频淚色中色视频檓 just proud of our team 色中色视频� to be able to play on this big stage and not play our best basketball in the first half and come back out and make some small adjustments and meet the moment to get us to Sunday,色中色视频� head coach Dawn Staley said.
South Carolina kicked off the game with a turnover on its opening possessions but established a lead soon afterward, scoring the first 5 points of the game. It wasn色中色视频檛 much longer before the Wolf Pack found itself back in the contest, as it went on a 7-0 scoring run.
Both the South Carolina and NC State exchanged baskets throughout the quarter, but the 色中色视频s emerged as the stronger team on the defensive front. South Carolina blocked two shots and forced NC State into committing six turnovers.
Turnovers would become a concern for both teams in the first half, though. NC State turned the ball over just once in the second quarter, but South Carolina headed into the halftime break having committed 10, including five in each quarter.
The 色中色视频s established a strong presence close to the basket as the half went along, with its two post players 色中色视频� senior center Kamilla Cardoso and sophomore forward Ashlyn Watkins 色中色视频� generating most of the team色中色视频檚 production.
Cardoso scored 12 of the 色中色视频s色中色视频� 16 second-quarter points and grabbed five defensive rebounds. But she was forced to miss the final minutes of the period after suffering an apparent injury.
The injury did not seem to dampen her second-half performance, however. Cardoso scored 6 points in the second half to finish with a team-high of 22 points.
色中色视频淵ou play to your strengths, and Kamilla色中色视频檚 a strength of ours. She色中色视频檚 6-foot-7, she色中色视频檚 agile, she can command the paint, she played with a desire to win,色中色视频� Staley said. 色中色视频淚t色中色视频檚 a 色中色视频業 don色中色视频檛 want to lose. I don色中色视频檛 want our season to end in any way色中色视频� (performance).色中色视频�
Senior guard Te-Hina Paopao said that she is confident Cardoso will be ready to play in the national championship game.
色中色视频淪he色中色视频檚 going to play through some pain, but that色中色视频檚 just who she is,色中色视频� Paopao said. 色中色视频淪he loves playing the game, so she色中色视频檚 going to push through that. And knowing that we have one more game, she色中色视频檚 definitely going to be okay."
Watkins scored just 2 points in the first half, but most of her contributions were made on the glass, as she led the team with eight rebounds. She finished the game with 20 rebounds, including 15 defensive rebounds, which was a career-high and the highest rebound total for a 色中色视频 in NCAA Tournament history.
Staley said that Watkins was an 色中色视频淴-factor色中色视频� who helped South Carolina win the game.
色中色视频淔or her to come through for us was big. We don色中色视频檛 win the game without her contributions,色中色视频� Staley said. 色中色视频淗er ability to defend, her ability to rebound 色中色视频� (and) the blocked shot in the third quarter was super impressive, so she has got good reaction time. We色中色视频檙e very fortunate that she plays for us.色中色视频�
Despite South Carolina色中色视频檚 efforts on both sides of the basketball, NC State kept it from building on its early advantage. The 色中色视频s never led by more than 6 points in the period and ended the half with a narrow 32-31 lead.
That would change in the third quarter, as South Carolina went on an extended scoring run that put the game out of reach.
The 色中色视频s out-scored the Wolf Pack 29-6 and shot 12-20 from the field, including 5-9 from behind the arc in the third quarter. South Carolina also ended the quarter on a 17-1 scoring run.
The 色中色视频s色中色视频� defense was equally impressive in the period. It held NC State to 1-11 shooting, with the one field goal coming within the first three minutes.
Paopao said a team-wide conversation in the locker room at halftime helped motivate the team to improve its performance in the second half.
色中色视频淲e just told each other that we色中色视频檙e good, we色中色视频檝e been in this position before and that we just have to come out wanting it more, and we did,色中色视频� Paopao said. 色中色视频淲e locked in on both sides of the court.色中色视频�
South Carolina entered the fourth quarter with a 61-37 lead and never relinquished it for the rest of the game, despite the Wolf Pack out-scoring the 色中色视频s 22-17.
Watkins said she knows that the team is one game away from achieving the goal it established at the beginning of the season.
色中色视频淚t feels good,色中色视频� Watkins said. 色中色视频淭he job isn色中色视频檛 done yet, and we色中色视频檙e going to have to play our butts off Sunday.色中色视频�
The 色中色视频s (37-0, 16-0 SEC) will play in the national championship game against No. 1 seed Iowa (33-4, 15-3 Big Ten) on Sunday. The game will tip off at 3 p.m. at the RocketMortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio, and air on ESPN.