Friday's NCAA women's tournament Sweet 16 takeaways: South Carolina narrowly escapes first test

From remarkable performances to near upsets, the first day of Sweet 16 competition in the women's NCAA Tournament didn't disappoint. Here are six takeaways from an exciting day:

1. South Carolina passes its first test

After coasting through the first two rounds of the tournament, South Carolina hit choppy waters against Indiana. 

The Gamecocks nearly blew a 22-point, second-half lead against the Hoosiers. Sophomore guard Raven Johnson hit a clutch three with 53 seconds left in the fourth, helping South Carolina escape with a 79-75 victory.

"No lead is safe," South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley said, per ESPN.com. "It's good to get this game in, but I'd much rather have it be smooth sailing. Today, we took some bad shots that led to easy buckets for them."

Perhaps South Carolina was a little overconfident heading into this matchup. Regardless, it must play better on Sunday against Oregon State.     

2. Dominant duo lifts Oregon State to first Elite Eight since 2018

Timea Gardiner and Raegan Beers simply overpowered second-seeded Notre Dame. In the 70-65 victory, the Oregon State sophomore forwards combined for 39 points and 24 rebounds. 

Beers — a third-team All-American — has already established herself as one of the best players in college basketball, and Gardiner is making a name for herself. She has averaged 16.7 points per game in the tournament and is shooting an outstanding 56.3 percent from the field. 

Against Notre Dame, Gardiner scored a team-high 21 points, tied for her second-highest total this season. 

This bodes well for Oregon State. A strong inside presence makes the Beavers one of the most challenging matchups in the tournament and could help them make their first Final Four since 2016.

3. Despite the loss, Notre Dame is heading in the right direction

While the loss to Oregon State may sting for Notre Dame fans, they should have confidence in the program after it overcame several obstacles this season. 

The Fighting Irish could only play six players after forward Kylee Watson suffered a season-ending knee injury in the ACC Tournament, and they still made the Sweet 16. 

Next season, star guard Olivia Miles — who missed the season with a knee injury — is expected to return. She and freshman Hannah Hidalgo could form one of the best backcourts in the country.

4. NC State's Aziaha James turned the tables in a historic comeback against Stanford 

James was quiet in the first half against the Cardinal, scoring only four points, and the Wolfpack trailed 37-27 at the break. Then the junior guard erupted in the second half, sparking a massive rally. 

James scored 25 points, leading North Carolina State to a 77-67 victory. Before the comeback, Stanford was 56-0 in the NCAA Tournament with a double-digit halftime lead, tied for the second-best record in tournament history, per ESPN Stats and Information.

The outstanding performance spotlights James' remarkable rise. Through her first two seasons at NC State, she only started in six games and averaged 5.5 points per game. Now, she's the primary reason why the Wolfpack are making their third Elite Eight appearance in school history.

5. Stanford's Cameron Brink's storied college career draws to a close  

Brink — who recently declared for the WNBA Draft — hoped she would win her second national championship in her final season with Stanford.
However, the first-team All-American fouled out with 8:10 left in the fourth quarter in her final game with the Cardinal. Aside from the foul trouble, she played well, tallying 13 points, seven blocks and nine rebounds. 

This doesn't take away from Brink's legacy, and she has a bright future. According to Tankathon, the Los Angeles Sparks will take the 22-year-old with the second overall pick in the draft.

6. Texas' depth will continue to make a difference

Star freshman forward Madison Booker didn't have her best game against Gonzaga, only scoring six points and committing seven turnovers. That didn't stop the Longhorns from pulling off an easy victory, though.

In the 69-47 win, Texas' Aaliyah Moore, Shaylee Gonzales, and Shay Hollie combined for 43 points. The Longhorns also got 14 points from their bench. 

This is a good sign for Texas, as it shows other players can step when one of its stars doesn't excel. The depth could help the Longhorns make their first Final Four since 2003.