The No. 3 Oregon State girls’s basketball group’s magical season continued Friday, holding off No. 2 Notre Dame late to advance to its first Elite Eight since 2018, and simply its third-ever look in a Regional Remaining recreation.
The Beavers’ opponent? Unbeaten and principally undaunted No. 1 South Carolina, which defeated No. 4 Indiana, 79-75 Friday.
The Beavers (27-7, 12-6 Pac-12) and Gamecocks (35-0, 16-0 SEC) will face off at 10 a.m. Sunday at MVP Enviornment in Albany, New York, with the sport televised on ABC.
What to find out about South Carolina’s season
The one undefeated Division I group in America, the Gamecocks outscore opponents by over 30 factors per recreation on common, get nicely over 30 factors a recreation off the bench, and rank prime 10 in most group metrics throughout the nation.
Over 35 video games, simply six have been determined by single digits, although 4 of these have are available South Carolina’s final seven video games.
The one frequent opponent between the Beavers and Gamecocks this season is Utah. South Carolina took down the Utes in December, 78-69, whereas Oregon State swept the Utes throughout Pac-12 play, 91-66, in January and 58-44 in February.
Gamers to look at
The Beavs’ pair of bigs in Raegan Beers and Timea Gardiner have led all of them season, however guard Talia von Oelhoffen makes the offense go together with her playmaking. von Oelhoffen averages simply over 5 assists a recreation whereas additionally scoring in double figures, whereas Beers averages a double-double at over 17 factors and 10 rebounds a recreation. Gardiner scored a team-high 21 factors in Oregon State’s newest outing in opposition to Notre Dame and averages over 11 factors a recreation all through the course of the season.
The Gamecocks haven’t got the undisputed star they’ve had prior to now like Aliyah Boston and A’ja Wilson, however function six gamers that common no less than 9 factors a recreation and one of many deepest benches within the nation.
Kamilla Cardoso leads South Carolina, averaging 13.9 factors per recreation to associate with 9.5 rebounds, and freshman MiLaysia Fulwiley averages 12.2 factors off the bench. Former Oregon guard Te-Hina Paopao averages 11.2 factors per recreation together with 3.8 assists, as nicely.
Final day trip
Whereas the Beavers pulled out a dramatic 70-65 win in opposition to Notre Dame on Friday, the Gamecocks constructed up a 22-point lead within the first half solely to see it disappear within the fourth quarter. Needing some clutch free throws late to seal it, the Gamecocks had been outscored 43-30 within the second half and had been almost upset by the Indiana Hoosiers earlier than pulling away for a four-point win.
Cardoso scored 22 factors and hauled in seven boards to prepared the ground whereas Raven Johnson scored 14 factors and made a trio of 3-pointers.
Alec Dietz covers College of Oregon soccer, volleyball, girls’s basketball and baseball for The Register-Guard. It’s possible you’ll attain him at adietz@registerguard.com and you’ll observe him on X @AlecDietz.