No. 1 South Carolina rallies to remain unbeaten, fend off plucky No. 5 UConn in championship rematch

UConn's Aaliyah Edwards shoots as South Carolina's Victaria Saxton defends in the first half of an women's college basketball game on Feb. 5, 2023, in Hartford, Connecticut. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

UConn’s Aaliyah Edwards shoots as South Carolina’s Victaria Saxton defends within the first half of an ladies’s school basketball sport on Feb. 5, 2023, in Hartford, Connecticut. (AP Photograph/Jessica Hill)

HARTFORD, Conn. — Daybreak Staley cautioned if her No. 1-ranked South Carolina Gamecocks had been truly the favourite heading right into a closely anticipated title sport rematch with No. 5 Connecticut on Sunday. Certain, that they had defeated the Huskies in a dominating title sport on a impartial courtroom in April. They’d taken them down at residence in Columbia. They even held the present collection streak, profitable three of the final 4.

Her level was that South Carolina hadn’t received in Connecticut within the mecca of school basketball, a hostile atmosphere that a long time of success constructed.

Now, they’ve. The Gamecocks slowly pulled away late within the fourth quarter to defeat UConn, 81-77, in a sold-out and roaring “white out” XL Heart crowd on Sunday regardless of their reigning Participant of the Yr Aliyah Boston not making a area aim till the second half.

It was Boston, a number one contender for a second Participant of the Yr award regardless of a shallower season stat line, who took over for the Gamecocks (23-0, 11-0 SEC) late. She completed with 26 factors after scoring three, all free throws, within the first half. Her defensive rebound secured the win as seconds ticked off.

A midrange jumper by Boston pushed the lead again to 6 that stood at 4:04 when UConn took a timeout. Head coach Geno Auriemma was known as for a technical out of the break for slamming a water bottle onto the courtroom and Boston hit her free throws to push it to double digits. A 3-pointer by the middle made it 72-61, a metaphorical dagger after the Huskies protection had tempted the struggling Gamecocks to shoot them earlier within the half. UConn stored punching again, however South Carolina did sufficient to maintain it two possessions away till Aubrey Griffin’s and-1 made it 80-77 with 10.8 on the clock. UConn left Raven Johnson extensive open on the inbound and she or he made one among her free throws for the ultimate rating.

The “narrative” across the sport, notably in Staley’s eyes, was the Gamecocks would win due to depth given UConn’s harm points. The Huskies appeared gassed final week after taking part in 5 video games in 12 days and pulling, at most, two off the bench. On Sunday, they took the primary punch and stored it nearer than the title sport loss with out a lot signal of fatigue till fouls caught up. Aaliyah Edwards, an improved ahead from the final assembly, dedicated her fourth foul late within the third to sit and Nika Muhl fouled out within the remaining minute.

South Carolina practically splits its offensive output 50-50 with starters and bench gamers, a testomony to well being but additionally the expertise Staley has recruited to the brand new powerhouse.

Kamilla Cardoso got here off the bench to provoke the Gamecocks within the first half earlier than Boston took over.

UConn compelled South Carolina’s offense to outlive with out enter from Boston. She was 0-for-5, together with two missed 3-pointers as UConn stored her on the perimeter. Zia Cooke didn’t fare any higher, capturing 0-of-8 and lacking all three 3-pointers she tried. The Gamecocks collectively missed all seven they tried, accounting for one-fifth of their makes an attempt.

In Boston’s absence within the frontcourt, Cardoso stepped up off the bench to attain 11 factors on 4-of-5 area objectives in 11:56 of motion. Her second-chance bucket put the groups into the locker rooms at half tied at 34-all.

Cooke broke her skid on a drive out of the break and Boston answered at 8:28 along with her first bucket. South Carolina was nonetheless by no means in a position to break it open like that they had within the title sport and UConn’s protection continued to take the prospect leaving Gamecocks open on the perimeter. At one level early within the fourth with a 53-50 South Carolina lead, the Gamecocks handed it amongst themselves behind the arc earlier than lastly trying, and lacking.

It was their capability to sink them minutes later that started the sluggish cushion. Brea Beal hit and Johnson hit from the opposite aspect, making it 61-55. The Huskies took straightforward drives to chop into the deficit and practically each time, the Gamecocks answered with sufficient to stay in it.

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