Ladies’s March Insanity 2024: Time for South Carolina to fret?

ALBANY, N.Y. — Simply 2 minutes, 30 seconds into the third quarter of Friday’s Candy 16 sport, South Carolina appeared prefer it was embarking on one other ladies’s NCAA event runaway. The Gamecocks had constructed a 22-point lead on an Indiana crew that gave the impression to be barely hanging on.

However the Hoosiers had lots left. They rallied and ended up giving South Carolina a scare just like what Tennessee did to the Gamecocks within the SEC event semifinals when the Girl Vols erased a 23-point deficit.

Indiana outscored South Carolina by 13 factors within the second half and bought the deficit down to 2 with 1:08 to play. Raven Johnson made a 3-pointer and a free throw within the closing minute that was simply sufficient for the Gamecocks to win 79-75, stay undefeated and transfer to the Elite Eight for the fourth consecutive yr.

However did the disappearance of one other massive lead depart extra questions than solutions for the Gamecocks?

Andrea Adelson, Charlie Creme and Michael Voepel study what the long run may now maintain for South Carolina, the No. 1 general seed.

South Carolina is transferring on, however the sport wasn’t determined till the ultimate minute. What vulnerabilities did Indiana assist expose Friday?

Adelson: In her postgame feedback, South Carolina coach Daybreak Staley talked about that she nonetheless has a comparatively younger crew that makes unwise selections at instances. And a few of these selections helped Indiana get again into the sport. Staley stated gamers began taking ill-advised photographs. As a substitute of continuous to feed the ball inside to Kamilla Cardoso, who might then kick out to arrange a a lot better shot, gamers had been launching long-range jumpers that saved lacking. “Once we construct a lead, they assume any shot is an effective shot,” Staley stated. “We took some unhealthy photographs that led to straightforward buckets for them.”

Creme: The largest factor is that this South Carolina crew does not have the identical closing abilities as most of Staley’s finest groups, totally on protection. Whereas this model of the Gamecocks could be extra expert than final yr’s crew, it does not put away groups in the identical means. Opponents now know that even an enormous South Carolina lead may be overcome in the event that they stick with the sport plan similar to Indiana did in getting its 3-point shooters beauty, an space the place South Carolina has proven it might probably lose focus.

Voepel: Credit score has to go to Indiana, a veteran crew that did not fold when the sport appeared over. Guard Sydney Parrish stated the Hoosiers’ technique moving into was to take some dangers each offensively and defensively, and by the second half these selections labored extra typically than they did not.

As Andrea and Charlie stated, we have seen some variations between this yr’s Gamecocks and final yr’s in that they’ve virtually let 20-plus-point leads get away in each the SEC and NCAA tournaments. Final season, the Gamecocks misplaced within the Remaining 4, however in that sport Iowa had South Carolina on its heels many of the night time. The 2 near-losses this yr got here when the Gamecocks did not end off their foes, and that’s one thing you understand Staley will hammer house earlier than they face Oregon State.

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South Carolina’s massive 3 from Raven Johnson seals shut win vs. Indiana

Raven Johnson makes a 3-pointer to increase South Carolina’s result in 5 factors over Indiana.

Is it time for South Carolina to fret?

Voepel: There may be some motive for concern. Oregon State is a tough-nosed defensive crew, and with 264 3-pointers this season, the Beavers have made virtually as many as Indiana (268). And we noticed what the Hoosiers virtually did Friday due to their 3-point taking pictures.

That stated, maybe this was the Gamecocks’ “scare” of the event, and they’ll have even stronger performances from right here on out.

“Offensively, I believe we had been just a bit caught, not getting the movement of issues,” Bree Corridor stated of the Gamecocks’ struggles within the second half. “However we will pay attention to that and alter some issues round.

“We might relatively not have a detailed sport like this, in fact, however I believe it will be useful simply because when the strain is on, now we have to have the ability to execute. We’ll look again at this sport and see that we had been in a position to execute and defend, as effectively. That was one of many key issues for that sport.”

Creme: South Carolina is simply effective. Actually, Staley has some issues to tighten up. One is a better give attention to getting Cardoso — who scored 22 factors on 10-for-12 taking pictures — the ball on offense. Some extra self-discipline towards shooters defensively is one other, however the Gamecocks’ standing as the large favourite on this event continues to be intact.

Adelson: Indiana presents challenges that maybe future opponents don’t — particularly, its capacity to shoot from anyplace. The Hoosiers had been all the time going to be a troublesome out, because the nation’s finest area objective taking pictures crew and third-ranked 3-point taking pictures crew. Once they began hitting these 3s, they had been in a position to shut a big deficit. Oregon State will present a problem inside, however you’ll be able to wager Staley can be ensuring her gamers tighten up their 3-point D.

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South Carolina Gamecocks vs. Indiana Hoosiers – Recreation Highlights

Watch the Recreation Highlights from South Carolina Gamecocks vs. Indiana Hoosiers

What can Oregon State and future South Carolina opponents take away from Indiana’s efficiency?

Adelson: Indiana ahead Mackenzie Holmes stated afterward that the Hoosiers watched the way in which Tennessee performed South Carolina within the SEC event semifinal and knew getting back from a big deficit could be doable. As Charlie talked about earlier, an lack of ability to shut is one thing that South Carolina nonetheless has to be taught. However a part of that dialog is that opponents aren’t intimidated in the event that they fall behind, particularly at this stage when each crew left has a motive to be right here.

Voepel: As environment friendly and efficient as Cardoso was, she really did not shoot sufficient. When somebody is that unstoppable, you simply maintain pounding the ball into them. Opponents are going to attempt to power South Carolina into fewer touches for the 6-foot-7 Cardoso, which is a tough job. But when they will do it, the strain then goes to a Gamecocks guard corps that’s extraordinarily good however took some photographs they should not have Friday.

South Carolina continues to be the front-runner, however does Friday’s shut name make a Gamecocks title really feel much less inevitable?

Creme: Maybe a bit of shine is off South Carolina’s nationwide title rose, however the Gamecocks are nonetheless the favorites. Their depth continues to be an enormous benefit. Even in Friday’s shut name, Staley had extra choices to show to and the power to go together with the gamers with whom she was most comfy. She might go together with both Te-Hina Paopao or Raven Johnson on the wing on Cardoso’s aspect of the courtroom. She had Ashlyn Watkins or Chloe Kitts to defend inside subsequent to Cardoso. Towards Indiana, Staley elected to go together with Tessa Johnson to defend the Hoosiers’ shooters. She additionally has MiLaysia Fulwiley as an choice. Almost each different coach on this event does not have these decisions in crunch time.

Adelson: I am going again to final season, when South Carolina was undefeated at this stage and all of it felt like an inevitability the Gamecocks would repeat as nationwide champions. Till they did not. The important thing distinction, although, is that they’ve been examined repeatedly this season. Earlier than Indiana, it was Tennessee. Then it was LSU within the SEC title sport. That is thrice previously 5 video games that South Carolina needed to discover a approach to win a detailed sport within the fourth quarter.

All that to say, I nonetheless assume South Carolina is the front-runner due to its general expertise and depth. But when, say, Iowa shoots 13 3-pointers the way in which Indiana did … Why would not the Hawkeyes have an opportunity if the inevitable rematch comes?

Voepel: The humorous factor is, a South Carolina nationwide championship really appeared much more inevitable final season. Up till the buzzer sounded within the loss to Iowa, it felt like South Carolina was nonetheless going to tug out the victory. That crew was so skilled and proficient, it did not seem to be it might lose till it really occurred.

This can be a higher taking pictures crew, however as we have made clear, these Gamecocks have been examined extra. Does that make them much less weak to an upset, or extra? There may be zero doubt they continue to be the clear favourite, particularly with the top quality of their depth as Charlie talked about. However that is not fairly the identical as being invincible, which is little question a part of what Staley will attempt to relay to her crew, with out damaging their confidence.