Women's NCAA tournament - South Carolina crushes North Carolina to reach 10th straight Sweet 16
Ros Gold-Onwude, Isis Young and Cassandra Negley react to the Gamecocks’ 88-41 win over the Tar Heels and discuss the added dimension on offense that makes South Carolina even more dangerous.
Video Transcript
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ROS GOLD-ONWUDE: Guys, if we thought number one South Carolina looked good in the first round, they took it up a whole other notch, to a new level in the second round with a convincing defeat of number 8 seed UNC 88 to 41.
It was a defensive and offensive clinic, but the defense was especially stifling. They held UNC below 24% shooting from the field, which is absolutely mind boggling. Cas, seven players scored 8 points or more for South Carolina. I mean, what are you seeing in the Gamecocks' depth?
CASSANDRA NEGLEY: Yeah. In the first quarter of a second-round game, Dawn Staley went nine deep.
ROS GOLD-ONWUDE: Mm.
CASSANDRA NEGLEY: That's incredible. You know, you've talked a lot over the last few days about how a lot of benches are sometimes six or seven players. That's who you trust. She went nine deep in a second-round game against a team that almost beat them this year.
ROS GOLD-ONWUDE: Mm-hmm.
CASSANDRA NEGLEY: And they all packed the stat sheet, points, rebounds, assists, blocks, steals. By the end of the game, it was so well balanced, that most players are shooting around 50%.
ROS GOLD-ONWUDE: Mm. Talking percentages, the team shot 45% from 3, Is. How important is the 3 ball gonna be for South Carolina's run in this tournament?
ISIS YOUNG: Well, I think it's huge. I mean, a couple of years ago, they're getting to Final Fours. And we're saying, man, if they had shooters, they would have won a championship. And so I think Dawn Staley went and re-upped.
What's so important to me, though, is the team shot 45%. But the main 3-point shooters were 9 of 16.
ROS GOLD-ONWUDE: Mm-hmm.
ISIS YOUNG: MiLaysia Fulwiley knocked down 4. TeHina Paopao knocked down 2. And then Tessa Johnson came down, she was 3 of 3 and then had missed one towards the end of the game., But I just think when you've got this three-headed monster of shooters--
ROS GOLD-ONWUDE: Yep.
ISIS YOUNG: --and then you have Kamila Cardoso inside, and company, I mean, we could go on and on about the depth, like you mentioned. But I think the 3-point ball is so important to them 'cause it opens up those driving lanes, it opens up the post touches like that.
You have to pick your poison. And each one-- anyone you pick is going to be wrong.
ROS GOLD-ONWUDE: Yes. And, you know, coming off of last season, we knew South Carolina had defense. That was a given, right? But the offensive depth, their added 3-point shooting, that's what everybody's been talking about as what could take them over the hump to another championship. South Carolina looking like a well-oiled machine right now on both ends of the court, as they head to their 14th sweet 16. And that's 10 straight.
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