Showdown in Birmingham: South Carolina Women’s Basketball Tops Maryland in NCAA Sweet 16 Thriller

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — South Carolina’s women’s basketball team is moving on to the next round of the NCAA Tournament after surviving a scare from No. 4 Maryland in the Sweet 16. The top-seeded Gamecocks (33-3) came out on top, securing a 71-67 victory at Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, thanks to a sensational fourth-quarter performance by sophomore star MiLaysia Fulwiley, who finished with a game-high 23 points.

The Terrapins, who fought hard until the final seconds, committed five turnovers in the game’s last two minutes, including two crucial miscues on in-bounds plays, allowing South Carolina to seal the win.

“We’re a resilient group,” South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley remarked after the game.

Elite Eight Bound

With the win, South Carolina advances to its fifth consecutive Elite Eight. This victory sets up a highly anticipated showdown with No. 2 Duke on Sunday at 1 p.m. (ABC). The Gamecocks previously defeated Duke 81-70 in Columbia earlier this season.

A Slow Start

South Carolina struggled early, trailing at halftime 33-31. This marked the second time in this NCAA Tournament that the Gamecocks were behind at the break. Despite leading throughout most of the first quarter, Maryland surged ahead in the second, taking their first lead with just over six minutes left and holding onto it for the remainder of the half.

Both teams struggled offensively in the first half, with Maryland shooting 35.7% from the field and South Carolina at just 31.6%. Chloe Kitts was the standout early for the Gamecocks, scoring the first 10 points of the game. Fulwiley followed up with a seven-point run of her own, but outside of these two, South Carolina struggled, shooting just 4 of 20 from the field.

In addition, three players—Te-Hina Paopao, Sania Feagin, and Tessa Johnson—were plagued by early foul trouble, with Paopao playing just six minutes in the first half.

Back-and-Forth Battle

The third quarter saw Maryland push their lead to as many as seven points, their largest of the game, after opening the half with a 10-6 run. Yet, South Carolina kept fighting, with Staley praising her team’s resilience: “I just think our team has been through so much. They’re unshakeable. They’re unflappable. Our conference gives us a lot of confidence to be able to be in a tight-knit game and find a way to win because that’s what it’s about at this stage of the game.”

A quick 7-0 run by the Gamecocks late in the third quarter allowed them to regain the lead for the first time since midway through the second. South Carolina outshot Maryland 72.7% to 41.2% in the third, outscoring the Terrapins 21-17 to take a slim 52-50 lead into the final period.

The game was a tense back-and-forth affair, with both teams exchanging leads at least seven times, and neither team leading by more than seven points.

Fulwiley Shines in the Fourth

In the final quarter, Fulwiley took control of the game, scoring 11 of her 23 points to help push the Gamecocks ahead. Kitts, who finished with 15 points, was the only other South Carolina player in double figures.

“I think every game I feel like I need to do more,” Fulwiley said. “My teammates tell me every game that I need to be on top of my game, do what I do best—driving or scoring. I think today I was just locked in and determined.”

What’s Next

South Carolina will face off against Duke in the Elite Eight, looking to advance to their second consecutive Final Four.

Next Game:

• Who: South Carolina vs. Duke
• When: Sunday, 1 p.m.
• Where: Legacy Arena, Birmingham, Alabama
• TV: ABC
• Stream: ESPN app