ALBANY, N.Y. — The Gamecocks survived the best way they’re used to thriving. They unfold the duty out throughout the roster.
South Carolina didn’t flip to at least one star because it clung to a slim five-point lead that was as many as 22 early within the third quarter of a Candy 16 matchup with Indiana. Over the ultimate 2:03, Kamilla Cardoso completed a layup, Raven Johnson drilled a clutch 3-pointer, Tessa Johnson added a free throw and Ashlyn Watkins forcefully denied a nook 3 try.
Each time Indiana minimize the lead, a unique Gamecock answered to guide the No. 1 general seed to the Elite Eight, 79-75, of their closest margin of the season.
“That’s us. That’s what we do,” Watkins informed Yahoo Sports activities. “All season, on the preseason, in the course of the season and on the match time, we at all times play collectively. That confirmed at the moment.”
Indiana head head coach Teri Moren stated on Thursday she deliberate for South Carolina as if it had 10 starters. Solely three Gamecock gamers common double-digits. Seven common greater than eight a sport.
The Gamecocks led by 17 on the half in what seemed to be one other runaway after outscoring their first two match opponents by a mixed 99 factors. It was, as soon as once more, a well-balanced efficiency, with 9 gamers seeing no less than seven minutes of motion and scoring no less than two factors. When the Hoosiers crowded or despatched assistance on the 6-foot-7 Cardoso, it left shooters open in all places.
“You possibly can’t simply shut one participant down on our group,” Raven Johnson stated. “We’ve threats from all around the court docket. We’ve threats on the bench, additionally. It is arduous to protect our group as a result of we simply carry completely different weapons, and I feel in the case of scouting us, we are able to shoot from the skin, we are able to dominate within the paint, we’ve got drivers, every little thing.
“How are you going to guard us? That is how I have a look at it.”
That didn’t sit nicely with South Carolina head coach Daybreak Staley on the opposite finish of the interview desk. That 17-point lead, which grew to 22 on the 7:30 mark of the third, evaporated. The Hoosiers pulled again to inside 10 by the ultimate 10 minutes and made it a two-point stress fest with lower than a minute on the clock.
“I imply, we gave up a 17 or 20-point lead,” Staley stated with a pointy inhale and look throughout Bree Corridor in between them.
“I feel we had been simply drained,” Johnson stated, drawing one other Staley look and laughter from Corridor, who mumbled one thing to her.
That is how the Gamecocks play ball. They’re unfastened — possibly typically too unfastened — however assured. They unfold the ball round, depend on the pressure of a group that rolls so deep the waves of defensive stress and offensive firepower don’t cease. There isn’t a break for an opponent.
“Anybody can exit and make a play,” SC guard Te-Hina Paopao stated. “Anybody can begin on any group within the nation on this group, however we selected to sacrifice that and be with one another.”
Cardoso managed the sport many of the manner for South Carolina, nearing her career-high of 24 factors as a freshman at Syracuse. She completed 10-of-12 for 22 factors, one shy of her career-high with South Carolina set this season. When Indiana hit its thirteenth and last 3-pointer on the 2:24 mark to chop the deficit to 4, Cardoso answered within the paint on the opposite finish. South Carolina outscored Indiana, 42-36, in that space and held fifth-year All-American ahead Mackenzie Holmes to 12 factors.
Sydney Parrish, who scored a team-high 21 with 5 3s for the Hoosiers, hit two free throws and Holmes drove in for 2 to chop it down once more. On the following inbound play, Raven Johnson fed Cardoso inside, pulling Johnson’s defender down. Cardoso instantly handed it again out and Johnson drilled a clutch 3 for a extra comfy lead. The play name, she joked, was to “get the ball within the basket.”
“I used to be open, and all I may assume was, let it go. I do not wish to lose,” Johnson stated. “Simply going from final yr. No one can sag off me this yr, and I take that very private. And I get within the fitness center every single day and put up reps and I feel that is the place it comes from, the arrogance.”
Within the Closing 4 loss to Iowa final yr, Caitlin Clark didn’t Johnson on the perimeter due to her struggles from deep. She completed 3-of-6 off the bench, nevertheless it fueled the sophomore’s revenge tour. Towards Indiana, she hit all three 3s she tried and went 5-of-7 for 14 factors, second-most on the group. All the group was 8-of-16, driving the three to an early lead as a weapon it didn’t possess in its undefeated common season final yr.
Staley stated she mouthed “shoot it” when she noticed how huge open Johnson was instantly in entrance of her.
“Earlier than that shot, I noticed Raven’s eyes when it was coming down the stretch and our lead was diminishing,” Staley stated. “I knew she wasn’t going to allow us to lose. I knew she was going to do one thing.”
So did freshman guard Tessa Johnson, who made her second free throw with 14 seconds left to bump the lead again as much as 4. It will take a foul on a 3 for Indiana to tie. When the Hoosiers tried it by placing Yarden Garzon within the nook for a shot, Watkins streaked over for the block.
“Simply play protection. That’s it,” Watkins stated.
Staley stated she wasn’t proud of the shot choice within the second half when South Carolina held a big lead. She didn’t be taught something new from her group, solely what she’s already identified, she stated.
“I’ve received a resilient basketball group that they do not like shedding,” Staley stated. “They can make performs on each side of the basketball by nice play, by shoddy play, by having a lead, having constructed a lead after which getting it right down to having or not it’s a one-possession sport, that they had been in a position to play their manner out of it. We’re the habits that we have created, good and dangerous.”
Paopao stated she hopes the shut name “lights a fireplace beneath our butt” because it did after South Carolina practically misplaced its undefeated season within the last possession of the SEC semifinal towards Tennessee. When informed of Staley’s feedback about re-focusing the group between that match and the NCAA first spherical, she smiled huge. That point was a lull for the Gamecocks the place they didn’t really feel they had been taking part in like themselves and sharing the ball.
“I’m smiling as a result of we’ve come a good distance,” Paopao stated. “And with a view to get by that little lull, we needed to undergo it collectively. It was arduous, however on the finish of the day we simply saved successful and being there for one another. So I actually hope at the moment’s sport locks us again in and will get us again to who we’re.”
They’re the well-balanced group that wins with manufacturing up and down the roster each evening.