South Carolina aims to contain Maryland’s potent offense in Sweet Sixteen clash.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) – The South Carolina Gamecocks are headed to Birmingham, preparing to face the Maryland Terrapins in their 11th consecutive Sweet Sixteen appearance.

The Gamecocks will meet a familiar opponent in Maryland, with the two teams having faced off just two years ago in the Elite Eight, where South Carolina emerged victorious, 86-75.

Coming off a hard-fought win against Indiana in the Round of 32, South Carolina showed resilience despite struggling to score for much of the game, particularly in the first half. The Gamecocks were able to secure a 64-53 victory, showcasing their depth, which proved too much for the Hoosiers to handle. Bree Hall, Chloe Kitts, and Sania Feagin were key contributors, helping push the team past Indiana.

Now, the Gamecocks are looking to get their leading scorers—Joyce Edwards and MiLaysia Fulwiley—back on track after both had a quiet outing in the win over Indiana. While South Carolina’s depth is strong enough to handle tough opponents, they’re at their best when Edwards and Fulwiley are firing on all cylinders.

One player to watch closely in this upcoming game is Chloe Kitts. The forward has been clutch all season and has elevated her performance even further as the postseason has progressed. Kitts recorded her 10th double-double of the season in Sunday’s win, contributing seven of her 10 points in a critical stretch during the third quarter, along with 11 rebounds.

As for Maryland, the Terrapins are coming off a dramatic victory in which they rallied from a 17-point deficit to defeat Alabama 111-108 in a double-overtime thriller. This victory sent Maryland to their fourth Sweet Sixteen appearance in the last five years and marked the second-largest comeback in NCAA tournament history for the Terrapins.

Maryland’s offensive attack is led by a dynamic trio: Sarah Te-Biasu, Kaylene Smikle, and Shyanne Sellers, who combined for an impressive 78 points in the win over Alabama. Smikle, who leads the team in scoring with 18 points per game on 45% shooting, has been especially effective during the postseason, averaging 22.2 points so far in the tournament. Sellers, who is second on the team in scoring and leads in assists, is a major threat due to her three-point shooting, hitting 41% from beyond the arc. Te-Biasu is another deep threat, hitting an incredible 45% of her threes, and averaging 10.6 points.

With Maryland’s guards being a central part of their offensive strategy, South Carolina will focus on containing their elite backcourt. The Gamecocks will also look to exploit Maryland’s interior defense, where South Carolina holds an advantage in both frontcourt and backcourt depth. The Terrapins’ key forwards, Allie Kubek and Christina Dalce, are solid in the paint but represent the bulk of Maryland’s rebounding efforts. If South Carolina can get Kubek and Dalce into foul trouble, it could swing the game in their favor.

The highly anticipated Sweet Sixteen showdown is set to tip off at 5:00 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN.

Stay tuned to WIS for live updates during the game via our live blog. Don’t miss out on the action!

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