South Carolina absorbed everything Indiana could dish out, Friday, and found the strength to push back with some plays of its own down the stretch to advance 79-75 in Albany, NY.
For a long while, the game looked as if it were going to go quite differently. Raven Johnson knocked down a 3-pointer early in the third quarter that gave USC a 56-34 lead. Fourth-seeded Indiana didn’t wilt, however, and proceeded to outscore the Gamecocks 38-18 over the next 16 minutes of game time.
USC looked lackadaisical through long stretches of the fourth quarter and the Hoosiers took full advantage, trimming the lead to two 1:08 to play. With her team on the ropes and needing direction, Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley called for a timeout.
Coming out of the stoppage, Raven Johnson fed the ball to Kamilla Cardoso, who had flourished in the post and scored 22 points on 10 of 12 shooting. The Hoosiers, intent on curtailing her dominance, quickly collapsed on Cardoso, leaving Johnson open on the wing. Cardoso pitched it out to Johnson who stepped right into a 3-pointer that halted the rally and ushered the Gamecocks into the Elite Eight.
Staley knew getting the ball to Cardoso would affect the defense and lead to a good shot, “They left Raven wide open and I wanted her to shoot it. I was mouthing ‘shoot it’ because she was so wide open and she shot it in rhythm. When it’s like that, good, bad or indifferent, it’s a really good shot to take. I’m happy that Raven stepped up.”
Johnson and Cardoso combined to score all but one of the Gamecocks’ fourth-quarter points, with Johnson scoring four in the final minute. Staley wasn’t surprised her sophomore point guard came through in the clutch, “I saw in Raven’s eyes, when it was coming down the stretch and our lead was diminishing, I knew she wasn’t going to let us lose.”
Johnson was energetic defensively and finished with 14 points, five rebounds, six assists and a pair of steals. Cardoso also racked up four assists, crisply passing out of double teams to free up her teammates.
USC (35-0) shot 50% from the field and 50% from the 3-point line, but the long lapses in concentration and ragged play leave room for concern.
Despite the scare, South Carolina’s record remains unscathed and the Gamecocks are into the Elite Eight for the fourth straight season. USC will next take on third-seeded Oregon State. A Final Four berth will be on the line when the Gamecocks and the Beavers take the court in Albany, NY, Sunday. The tipoff time is TBD.
Final Stats
Photos by Gamecock Athletics
Postgame press conference with Dawn Staley,
Kamilla Cardoso and Raven Johnson
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