Why NC State women will beat South Carolina in Final Four
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NC State coach Wes Moore knows he’s got a David-and-Goliath matchup on his hands when his third-seeded NC State Wolfpack take on overall No. 1 seed and undefeated South Carolina on Friday in the Final Four. But he also knows this: In that story, it’s David who comes out ahead.
And that type of confidence in his team is partially why the Wolfpack will stun the Gamecocks.
That, and excellent guard play.
Throughout NC State’s tournament run, and particularly the last two games, starting guards Aziaha James and Saniya Rivers, herself a former Gamecock, have been stellar. James in particular is on a tear, averaging 24.3 points during the NCAA Tournament, up from 15.8 before that.
Because of her previous experience with South Carolina, Rivers — a freshman for USC in 2022, the last time the Gamecocks won a national title under Dawn Staley — won’t be intimidated.
The biggest piece to battle, of course, happens on the boards.
South Carolina routinely destroys teams on the glass, grabbing 12.2 more rebounds than its opponents. (And when they really get going, it can feel like double that.)
But NC State knows this, and has undoubtedly been working on box-out drills since Monday.
River Baldwin (10.9 points, 6.9 rebounds) will surely focus on putting a body on Kamilla Cardoso to try to draw some over-the-back fouls. NC State also has the advantage of guards who like to rebound – Rivers and Mimi Collins both average more than six per game, and James typically grabs four. South Carolina isn’t playing a team where guards aren’t used to crashing the glass. That NC State won’t have to do anything hugely different than it has done all year is a big plus.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NC State vs South Carolina prediction: Wolfpack will win in Final Four
