South Carolina secures dominant Final Four win over NC State

South Carolina Gamecocks center Kamilla Cardoso (10) and guard Te-Hina Paopao (0) react on the bench against the NC State Wolfpack in the semifinals of the Final Four of the women's 2024 NCAA Tournament at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

South Carolina's historic third quarter secures Final Four win over NC State

By Mike Santa Barbara | Last updated 4/5/24

No. 1 South Carolina will play for the national championship. The undefeated (37-0) Gamecocks used a historic third quarter to top No. 3 NC State, walking away with a 78-59 victory on Friday.

Nursing a one-point advantage, 32-31 at halftime, with a hobbled Kamilla Cardoso, South Carolina looked ripe for the picking. However, they wasted little time taking control in the second half, outscoring NC State 29-6 in the third quarter to take a 61-37 lead into the final stanza.

According to ESPN Stats and Info, the 23-point difference is the largest in any quarter in Final Four history. Meanwhile, South Carolina's 29 points are tied for the most in a quarter in the national semifinals.

WE'LL SEE YOU ON CHAMPIONSHIP SUNDAY FAMS!!! pic.twitter.com/ORIdv3Q8jC
— South Carolina Women's Basketball (@GamecockWBB) April 6, 2024

The Gamecocks suffered a scare when Cardoso left the game late in the first half following a hard fall on her right knee. South Carolina's leading scorer had 16 points and seven rebounds at the half, and Sania Feagin, the Gamecocks' second-leading scorer in the first half, tallied only four points off the bench. Meanwhile, the rest of the team was 5-of-19 for 12 points.

Luckily, Cardoso returned ready for the second half, which may have given South Carolina a much-needed jolt of energy. They'd go on to dominate the Wolfpack in the third quarter en route to a 19-point win.

Cardoso finished with a game-high 22 points on 10-of-12 shooting from the field with 11 boards, and guards Raven Johnson and Te-Hina Paopao combined for 23 points (9-of-15) and 11 assists.

Likewise, Ashlyn Watkins had a big game for the Gamecocks, recording a career-high 20 rebounds, tying her for third-most in a Final Four game.

South Carolina now awaits the winner of No. 1 Iowa vs. No. 3 UConn, who it'll face Sunday at 3 p.m. from the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, Ohio, for the national title.

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