by The last time a final four was hosted in Cleveland’s Rocket Mortgage Field house (Quicken Loans at the time) Pat Summit led her Tennessee Volunteers to back-to-back national titles in 2007. The South Carolina Gamecocks look to etch their name in history as well, Head Coach Dawn Staley looks to obtain her team’s third National title in her fourth final four appearances in a row. North Carolina State aimed to appear to their first National championship game in school history led by head coach Wes Moore.
Dawn Staley and her Gamecocks showed up in a big way against NC State after a slow stat in the first half. The official score was 79-59, the first half was tight but was then separated after a 29-6 third quarter. NC State went 0-4 on three point attempts in the game changing third quarter was thanks to the Gamecocks defense. “our defense was very good, and simplified offensively… that’s how you open a half up when you have that kind of stretch”. Said Dawn Staley when asked about her team’s third quarter defense.
The First quarter was equally matched between both teams, Aziaha James came out of the gates hot for her Wolfpack hitting two threes in the first quarter. The Junior guard play for the Pack allowed them to stay in with South Carolina punch for punch.
Kamilia Cardoso had a first quarter of only four points as her team only mustard 16 points to match North Carolina State in the first quarter. Despite the slow start Cardoso showed up scoring 12 points in the second quarter to give her Gamecocks the lead. Cardoso was the only player for the Gamecocks to score in the double digits at the half. As the first half came to a close the Wolfpack narrowed down the deficit as a free throw at the end of the half made it a one point ball game.
The third quarter was all South Carolina in one of the most dominant quarters you will ever see in a final four game. The score at the start of the third quarter was 32-31, the Gamecocks outscored the Wolfpack 29 to six as they extended their lead to 24 as we entered the last quarter to play and it was all South Carolina.
NC State tried to claw back into the game but failed to outscore South Carolina. If anyone questioned how dominant this undefeated Gamecocks team was after surviving Indiana, they now know this team is 36-0 and headed to the national championship for a reason.
