South Carolina’s Stars Are Accustomed to Winning, But They Know the Final Four Will Be Tough

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – South Carolina’s seniors Sania Feagin and Bree Hall have now secured a spot in their fourth consecutive Final Four after a hard-fought Elite Eight victory over Duke. Reflecting on their journey, Feagin was confident when asked if she ever imagined this success when she first committed to Dawn Staley four years ago.

“Yes, I did,” Feagin responded without hesitation.

Hall, on the other hand, had a different perspective on her involvement in this historic South Carolina era.

“I really can’t believe it,” Hall admitted. “When I committed here, I didn’t really expect it to be this good. This is definitely an experience that people dream about, and I’m just really glad I made the right choice.”

Supporting them throughout this remarkable run is Raven Johnson, a junior guard who redshirted during her freshman year. Feagin and Hall still have one more year of eligibility left, though they have not yet revealed if they intend to return to South Carolina for another season.

However, that decision is something for later. Right now, the Gamecocks are laser-focused on their upcoming Final Four appearance, determined to extend their dominance even further.

“We’re not done,” Johnson declared. “We can set history winning a national championship, and that’s the plan. We all know what it takes, and we know it’s not gonna be easy.”

And if the past few games are any indication, the road ahead will definitely not be a smooth one.

In a tense battle, South Carolina, the No. 1 seed, edged out Duke, the No. 2 seed, with a 54-50 win, despite posting a season-low score and committing 16 turnovers. The game was a nail-biter, with four lead changes and four ties. In the crucial fourth quarter, both Feagin and Hall grabbed three critical rebounds to help secure the victory.

“The margin of error is very little,” Johnson explained. “A missed shot can turn the momentum of the game to the other team.”

This victory marks the third straight intense contest for the Gamecocks. They found themselves trailing at halftime in previous matchups against No. 9 Indiana in the second round and No. 4 Maryland in the Sweet 16. Before Sunday’s game, South Carolina had been dominant, winning 33 games with an average margin of victory of 22.9 points.

“I don’t know why everybody expects us to just blow everybody out,” Hall remarked. “These teams are coming to play. It’s not gonna be easy, every team is gonna be ready for us.”

As the Gamecocks head into their familiar Final Four setting, they bring a wealth of experience and a single goal in mind: victory.

Olivia Noni is a student in the University of Georgia’s Sports Media Certificate program.