ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Kamilla Cardoso scored 22 factors and unbeaten top-seeded South Carolina held off a spirited Indiana rally to win 79-75 on Friday and advance to the Albany Regional 1 of the Girls's NCAA Match.
South Carolina is three wins away from finishing the 10th good season in NCAA Division I ladies's basketball historical past. Subsequent up for the Gamecocks is third-seeded Oregon State, which knocked off Notre Dame earlier Friday.
Coach Daybreak Staley's Gamecocks (35-Zero) cruised by way of their first two video games in March Insanity, profitable 52 and 47. They confronted a a lot greater problem from fourth-seeded Indiana (26-6 ).
South Carolina constructed a 22-point lead within the third quarter earlier than Indiana rallied behind Sydney Parrish, who led the staff with 21 factors.
The Hoosiers, making an attempt to drag off the largest comeback in NCAA event historical past, pulled inside 74-72 on Mackenzie Holmes' layup with 1:08 left.
After a timeout, Raven Johnson calmly sank a Three-pointer from the wing 15 seconds later to revive a much bigger cushion for the Gamecocks. Johnson scored 14 factors.
Holmes then hit one other layup to make it 77-74.
The Gamecocks then hit simply two of 4 free throws within the remaining 21 seconds to go away the door open for a miraculous comeback, however Indiana couldn't convert on the offensive finish, lacking two contested Three-pointers within the remaining 15 seconds.
South Carolina appeared prefer it was going to explode one other opponent. It led 34-28 halfway by way of the second quarter earlier than occurring a 15-Four run to shut the half 49-32. All however two of these factors got here inside.
On the defensive finish, Cardoso bottled up Holmes. She missed her first 5 pictures earlier than lastly hitting a runner with lower than a minute left within the inning. Holmes completed with 12 factors.
The lead grew to 22 factors early within the third quarter earlier than the Hoosiers used a 10-Zero run to drag inside 61-50 with simply over three minutes left within the interval. After the Gamecocks prolonged the lead again to 15, Indiana closed to 65-55 late within the interval.
IT FOLLOWS
South Carolina performs Oregon State, which it defeated 59-42 within the second spherical of the NCAA Match three years in the past.