COLONIAL LIFE ARENA: South Carolina overcame a cold shooting first half and a feisty defensive effort from Indiana, Sunday, to advance to the Sweet Sixteen 64-53.
For the second year in a row, USC eliminated Indiana in the NCAA Tournament, but on both occasions, the Gamecocks were pushed to their limits and forced to grind out the victory over four quarters.
The Gamecocks (32-3) were stuck in neutral in the early going, scoring just nine points in the first quarter and hitting less than 35% from the floor in the first half. South Carolina endured a stretch of over seven minutes between field goals spanning the first and second quarters as IU built a nine-point lead.
USC responded to the adversity by scoring on five its last six possessions to close out the first half to cut the deficit to one heading into the locker room. Every time it looked as if the Hoosiers were taking command, the Gamecocks turned to veteran guard Bree Hall. Hall (11 points), playing her final game in front of the Colonial Life Arena crowd, looked for her shot more than usual, knocking down 3 of 4 from the 3-point line.
In a physical game, Chloe Kitts was forced to the bench less than two minutes into the second quarter with her second foul. After a lengthy rest, the junior forward came out of the locker room looking to make an impact, scoring seven points in the first four minutes of the third quarter as part of a 20-7 Gamecocks’ run that sent the home crowd into a frenzy. Kitts finished with a double-double, scoring ten points and grabbing a game-high 11 rebounds.
Seven different Gamecocks scored in the third quarter as USC took a commanding 51-40 lead. The Hoosiers didn’t back down, however, scoring the first four points of the fourth quarter to get back within striking distance. After a timeout, South Carolina’s defense locked in, limiting IU to nine points over the last nine minutes to seal its 11th trip to the Sweet Sixteen under Dawn Staley.
Te-Hina Paopao, also playing in the final home game of her career, was key to the defensive effort, blocking four shots to go with two steals. “When we had that stretch in the third quarter, it was so loud and just being able to play in front of fans like that just makes the experience better. I cherish the moments that we had today, and I’m just super proud of our team and shout-out to the fans for always showing support and love.”
Staley acknowledged their offense wasn’t easy on the eyes, but survival is the priority in March. “Proud of our team, the way they gutted up and didn’t flinch. It wasn’t pretty, but at this time, it doesn’t have to be,” Staley said. “You’ve just got to score more points than the other team and work the kinks out as we advance into the tournament.”
USC’s superior rebounding was a pivotal factor as Indiana was limited to two offensive boards and no 2nd-chance points. The Gamecocks, the nation’s leader in bench points, also enjoyed a 19-4 scoring advantage from its reserves.
South Carolina (32-3) has won nine straight games and 18 of 19 NCAA Tournament games dating back to 2022. The Gamecocks will play the winner of the 5-seed Alabama/4-seed Maryland game in Birmingham, Ala., Friday.
Final Stats
Gamecocks postgame press conference with Dawn Staley,
Te-Hina Paopao and Chloe Kitts
