Defending champion S. Carolina tops Texas, returns to title game

NCAA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL FINAL FOUR

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South Carolina guard Bree Hall rejoices after hitting a 3-pointer during the second half of Friday night’s Final Four matchup against Texas. The Gamecocks won and will get a chance to defening their title. John Raoux /the associated press

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By Alanis Thames

The associated Press

TAMPA, Fla. — Dawn Staley has never lost a national championship game in three trips as South Carolina’s coach.

Part of the key to winning those decisive games? Forgetting about what happened the last time she was there. And this time, that was only a year ago.

Staley’s defending champion Gamecocks left no doubt they would return to the title game, getting 14 points from Te-Hina Paopao and overwhelming Texas 74-57 on Friday night in the Final Four of the women’s NCAA Tournament.

“Nothing that happened prior to here is going to help us on Sunday. Nothing,” Staley said. “Saying that we’re undefeated in national championships games — I wish it helped. I wish it would spot us 10 points because we’re undefeated. I’d feel really good about that.”

The Gamecocks are a win away from becoming the first team to secure consecutive titles since UConn won four straight from 2013-16. They will face Huskies, who beat UCLA in the second semifinal.

Freshman Joyce Edwards added 13 points, 11 rebounds and six assists for South Carolina (35-3), which used its experience and poise to weather an early deficit, and then took control with its depth at both ends of the floor.

Three South Carolina players finished in double figures — Bree Hall had 11 points — and the Gamecocks dominated Texas in the post with 40 points in the paint to the Longhorns’ 22.

Madison Booker had 11 points with three fouls for the Longhorns (35-4), who were trying to reach their first championship since 1986. They were in the Final Four for the first time since 2003 after a dominant season, which was their first in the Southeastern Conference after coming over from the Big 12.

Texas went 15-1 against the SEC in the regular season and shared the conference title with the Gamecocks.

South Carolina broke open the game in the third quarter with an 11-0 run started by Edwards’ driving layup, and Texas never got closer than 10 the rest of the way. Booker, Texas’ leading scorer, was held without a basket after making a jumper at the seven-minute mark of the third.

The Longhorns could not match South Carolina’s pace as the game went on. They only scored nine points in the third. Jordan Lee led Texas with 16 points off the bench.

“Not our best night,” Texas coach Vic Schaefer said, “but it wasn’t because they weren’t out there battling and trying. We lost to the better team tonight.”