The Gamecock Grinder: South Carolina Turn TCU into Frog Legs
The Gamecock Grinder: South Carolina Turn TCU into Frog Legs
SACRAMENTO — If you like suspense, the fourth quarter of Monday night’s Elite Eight matchup was not for you. Top-seeded South Carolina decided they had entertained the idea of a "close game" long enough, outscoring TCU 29-11 in the final frame to walk away with a 78-52 victory.
Coach Dawn Staley is headed back to the Final Four for the seventh time in nine seasons. At this point, the Final Four isn't just an event for South Carolina; it’s a scheduled business trip they’ve already earned platinum status for.
The "Freshman Takeover"
While the Horned Frogs did an admirable job sticking to the Gamecocks' guards like a cheap suit, they forgot one minor detail: Joyce Edwards. The freshman forward put up 24 points and 12 rebounds, playing with the poise of someone who’s been in the league since the Reagan administration.
Then there was Agot Makeer, who chipped in 18 points and used her length to disrupt everything TCU tried to build. Between the two of them, they scored the first 12 points of the fourth quarter. It was less of a "scoring run" and more of a "metaphorical slamming of the door."
The Olivia Miles "Calf-Tastrophe"
TCU’s Olivia Miles is a warrior. She was averaging a triple-double in the tournament and kept the Frogs within striking distance (47-39) before her left calf decided to go on strike in the third quarter.
She crawled back onto the court for the fourth, but trying to outrun a South Carolina fast break on one leg is like trying to win a race in a golf cart. She finished with 18 points, but without her running mate Marta Suarez (who shot a frosty 4-of-17), the Frogs just ran out of hops.
The Inevitability of Dawn
South Carolina has been winning tournament games by an average of 45 points, so the fact that TCU actually trailed by only eight in the third quarter is basically a moral victory that will look very nice next to their Elite Eight trophy.
The Gamecocks can beat you with star guards one night and freshman towers the next. They are the Swiss Army Knife of basketball—if the knife was ten feet tall and wore designer sneakers.
The Verdict
The Final Four is now a "No New Friends" zone. All four #1 seeds are through, and they are the exact same four teams from last year. It’s like a high school reunion where everyone is still rich and athletic.
Up Next: A date with destiny—and UConn. It’s a rematch of last year’s national championship game. The Huskies won that one big, but these Gamecocks look like they’ve spent the last 365 days sharpening their spurs.
Will Dawn Staley get title No. 4, or will Geno Auriemma remind everyone why he has a baker's dozen of them? Phoenix is about to get very, very loud.
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