After some concerning losses at the end of the regular season, there were many questions as to NC State women’s basketball’s chances in March. But soon enough, the Wolfpack has silenced doubters, becoming one of the hottest teams in the country. It made light work of some of the best teams in the nation such as No. 6 seed Tennessee, No. 2 seed Stanford and No. 1 seed Texas en route to its first Final Four appearance since 1998.
NC State is set to take on South Carolina in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5. The Wolfpack will look to hand the Gamecocks their first and only loss of the season. It will be the most difficult matchup for the Wolfpack in recent history; South Carolina has lost just three games in three seasons, holding a record of 108-3.
The Gamecocks rally behind potential lottery pick Kamilla Cardoso. The 6-foot-7 center is averaging 14.1 points and 9.4 rebounds. She is one of the best paint scorers in the nation and is spearheading the Gamecocks’ tournament run. Cardoso is a major defensive threat, averaging 2.1 blocks per game. She is a proven clutch scorer and can get a bucket whenever the need arises.
Cardoso is their best player, but the biggest threat from the Gamecocks is head coach Dawn Staley. She took over the program in 2008 and hasn’t looked back since, leading South Carolina to 12 straight NCAA Tournament appearances, eight regular season titles, eight conference championships and two NCAA Championships.
Staley is one of the most decorated coaches in NCAA women’s basketball history and a surefire Hall of Famer. She has created one of the greatest dynasties in women’s basketball history, and her presence is undeniable.
The Wolfpack has been riding the hot hand of junior guard Aziaha James, who is averaging 24.3 points per game during the tournament. After some inconsistency toward the end of the regular season, the lefty sharpshooter fell back into rhythm and is now the best offensive weapon for the Pack. In the red-and-white’s most recent game against No. 1 seed Texas, James hit a career-high seven 3-pointers while shooting 77.8% from beyond the arc, finishing with 27 points.
The matchups may seem overwhelming, but the Gamecocks aren’t as invincible as it seems. In the SEC Tournament semifinal, the Gamecocks nearly lost to the Tennessee Lady Vols — the same Tennessee that the Wolfpack defeated by 10 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
South Carolina found itself down by two with 1.1 seconds left. Defying all odds, Cardoso hit her first career 3 as the clock expired to keep the Gamecocks’ undefeated season alive. Had it not been for that stroke of luck, South Carolina would have a loss on its record.
Once again, in the Gamecocks’ recent matchup against the Indiana Hoosiers in the Sweet 16, they nearly choked away a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter, letting the Hoosiers get as close as two points away before winning the game due to free throws. A moment of weakness such as that is key to dethroning the Gamecocks and advancing to the National Championship.
This South Carolina team will be the toughest matchup this program has ever had to face, but the Wolfpack will rise to the challenge. The Pack has proven to be one of the most passionate teams in the nation. Being an underdog is nothing new for the red-and-white, and neither is winning. This matchup has the makings to be one of the best games of the season and should be an absolute shootout for the right to advance to the National Championship.
