Women’s NCAA tournament - South Carolina strolls, sets up rematch with North Carolina
Ros Gold-Onwude, Isis Young & Cassandra Negley break down the Gamecocks' 91-39 blowout win over Presbyterian - which means another meeting with the Tar Heels, which played USC close back in November.
Video Transcript
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ROS GOLD-ONWUDE: overall top seed, South Carolina, dominates number 16 seed, Presbyterian, 91-39. Is, it was a dominant win. A lot of people may have expected this. But when it is a blowout, how do you evaluate the way that South Carolina played?
ISIS YOUNG: I think it's how you win, right, the fact that you're dominating. You're number one seed, everyone has a target on your back. You have no room for error. You just have to take care of business. I thought they did a fantastic job of that today. They get to rest at home, watch some of these games, and get ready for Sunday.
ROS GOLD-ONWUDE: They held it down. They handled their business. And now, they look ahead. They're going to face number eight seed, UNC. They got the win over Michigan State. And it was a tight one. They had to hold on against Michigan State, 59-56. And UNC's Alyssa Ustby led the way. She dropped 16 points, six assists, three blocks, 17 rebounds. I mean, absolutely stuffed the stat sheet. What's most impressive about the way Alyssa played, Is?
ISIS YOUNG: I think it's just her motor. I mean, she is relentless. She doesn't stop for anyone. That second where you feel like, oh, I don't have to go as hard, that's when she kicks it into her extra gear. And she's the emotional leader for the Tar Heels. They're going to need her to be the vet, to be the senior, and to will them to victory. But you're right. They escaped that one, Cass.
CASSANDRA NEGLEY: They did. You and I sat there early, we watched this game. And you said, Michigan State is going to come back. And I said, UNC is going to lose it in the final minute. And that didn't happen. UNC did get it done. They got the offensive rebounds.
But we said that because we've seen this team collapse so many times. And that's just not going to cut it against South Carolina. I mean, this is a Gamecocks team that knows how to win in the final minutes. UNC needs to bring more and do it more consistently.
ROS GOLD-ONWUDE: Yeah, they led by as much as 16 in that game. But on the other side, like a positive note, I'll look at these numbers for UNC. They notched 36 points in the paint. They outrebounded Michigan State, 45-27. So they got it done inside in that game. However, against number one seed, South Carolina, they're going to get Kamilla Cardoso back after the suspension. So how do you see that battle in the paint perhaps playing out?
ISIS YOUNG: Yeah, for the other side for the Tar Heels, it's Maria Gakdeng. And she had a really good game today, 17 points, 10 rebounds, seven of those rebounds offensive. What I love about that is, against South Carolina, you have to find points any which way they come. You got to get them from everywhere, right? Free throw line, but second chance points going to be the key. So I like that they were aggressive in the boards.
And then like you mentioned, just that battle inside. With Cardoso coming back, you have to get a body on her. You have to be physical. I think Gakdeng has the physicality to match up with Cardoso well.
ROS GOLD-ONWUDE: OK. We'll see who can get it done inside. And the Tar Heels, they advance to the second round for the third year in a row, but they are going to have their hands full against the Gamecocks.
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