The flawless season of South Carolina continued on Sunday as they overcame a challenge from the underdog Oregon State to emerge victorious 70-58, securing a spot in the prestigious Final Four of the NCAA Tournament.
Despite being the top-seeded team, the Gamecocks did not deliver their usual exceptional performance, having an average winning margin of 30.1 points per game throughout the season.
They only managed to shoot 33.3 percent from the field, a significant drop from their season average of 49.8 percent, and 20 percent (4 of 20) from beyond the arc, half of what they typically achieve.
Tessa Johnson led the top-seeded South Carolina team (36-0) with 15 points. Kamilla Cardoso, the leading scorer of the team during the season, contributed 12 points and nine rebounds, while Bree Hall scored 10 points in the Albany 1 Region final. Ashlyn Watkins was dominant in the rebounding department, grabbing a game-high 14 rebounds.
This marks the fourth consecutive and sixth overall appearance in the Final Four for the Gamecocks under the leadership of Dawn Staley, who guided them to the national championship in 2017 and 2022.
Oregon State, the third seed (27-8), defeated second-seeded Notre Dame 70-65 on Friday to advance to the Elite Eight and was aiming for their second Final Four appearance. Coach Scott Rueck can still consider this season a success despite the loss, given the Beavers’ turnaround from a 13-18 record the previous season.
Raegan Beers, the All-Pac-12 forward, led the Beavers with 16 points. Lily Hansford contributed 12 points, Timea Gardiner added 10 points and 12 rebounds, while Donovyn Hunter also chipped in with 10 points.
Oregon State put up a tough fight against South Carolina, staying competitive until midway through the third quarter when a crucial sequence shifted the momentum due to the Beavers’ struggles to score.
Despite Oregon State reducing the deficit to 43-41 after a layup by Beers with 6:08 remaining, a pivotal 3-pointer by Raven Johnson extended the Gamecocks’ lead to 46-41.
In the following possession for the Beavers, Dominika Paurova missed a long-range shot, and Talia von Oelhoffen failed to convert on multiple opportunities after gaining possession of a loose ball.
South Carolina finished the third quarter strong with a 12-5 run, establishing a 12-point lead.
Both teams scored 12 points in the fourth quarter, during which Beers faced foul trouble for a significant portion of the period.
Despite Oregon State narrowing the margin to four points following two consecutive baskets by Hunter with 3:55 left, they were unable to get any closer as South Carolina closed the game with an 8-0 scoring streak.
The Gamecocks asserted their dominance early on with a suffocating defense. Following a jumper by Beers that briefly put the Beavers in a 2-0 lead, South Carolina implemented double-teams in the backcourt and imposed pressure on Oregon State, forcing turnovers and difficult shots to beat the shot clock for a significant portion of the first quarter.
South Carolina outrebounded Oregon State 51-37 and capitalized with 28 second-chance points compared to the Beavers’ meager four points in that category.
