For the fifth straight year, the No. 1 seed South Carolina Gamecocks women’s basketball team is heading to the Final Four. In a hard-fought battle against No. 2 seed Duke, the defending national champions had to dig deep to pull off a 54-50 win.
The Blue Devils had them on the ropes in the third quarter. They seized momentum and took a six-point lead late in the frame. However, as great teams do, the Gamecocks found a way to respond when it mattered most. Let’s see what fans online had to say.
South Carolina Reaches Program’s 7th Final Four
Under head coach Dawn Staley, South Carolina has now advanced to seven Final Fours, cementing their dominance in women’s college basketball. The espnW X page posted the victory news.
SOUTH CAROLINA IS HEADED TO ITS FIFTH STRAIGHT FINAL FOUR 👏
The reigning champs battled their way back to come away with the W 😤 pic.twitter.com/OS3c7vKLHM
— espnW (@espnW) March 30, 2025
“South Carolina is headed to its fifth straight Final Four 👏,” the caption read.
Fans flooded the post with comments, showering Dawn Staley’s team with support and admiration.
“5 straight is insane, ” someone said.
“LFGGGGG WE TOO CLOSE, “ another comment reads.
“What a game! South Carolina really knows how to bring the heat to the court,” someone else said.
While the victory ultimately went their way, the No. 1 seed’s prolonged offensive struggles were an unexpected challenge. For nearly 16 minutes spanning the second and third quarters, South Carolina found it difficult to generate consistent scoring. This also allowed Duke to gain the upper hand.
Duke had South Carolina in trouble late, but a few key plays turned the tide back in the Gamecocks’ favor. With just seven seconds remaining in regulation, Duke’s Ashlon Jackson had a golden opportunity to snatch the lead with a three-point attempt, but the shot missed its mark. Chloe Kitts then iced the game by calmly sinking two free throws to seal the victory and send South Carolina to yet another Final Four.
Kitts led the way for the Gamecocks, finishing with 14 points in a game where every basket mattered. Sania Feagin also stepped up, contributing 12 points, eight rebounds, three steals, and two blocks.
Duke’s Rebounding Advantage Pushed South Carolina to the Limit
One of the biggest reasons the Blue Devils were able to keep the game close was their relentless rebounding. Duke pulled down an impressive 19 offensive boards, generating 12 crucial second-chance points. Overall, they dominated the glass with a 41-30 rebounding edge over the Gamecocks, forcing South Carolina to battle for every possession.
Despite Duke’s strong rebounding effort, South Carolina found a way to claw back. Te-Hina Paopao’s aggressive baseline drive at the 6:47 mark of the fourth quarter put South Carolina back on top, 44-42. Kitts followed up with a clutch bucket off a pick-and-roll to push the lead to four.
But Duke refused to go away quietly, as Reigan Richardson and Toby Fournier responded to tie the game at 46-46 with under five minutes to play. With the pressure mounting, South Carolina delivered when it mattered, getting a key jumper from Feagin and two more free throws from Kitts to take control in the final moments.
Duke’s Toby Fournier put up an outstanding performance, leading all scorers with 18 points while grabbing six rebounds, five of which came on the offensive end.
Jackson added 13 points, but despite their efforts, the Blue Devils couldn’t overcome their 32% field-goal shooting. South Carolina’s ability to remain composed in clutch moments made the difference, proving why they are the reigning champions.
RELATED: Dawn Staley, South Carolina Makes 7th Final Four, Closes In On History
Now, the Gamecocks shift their focus to the next challenge—continuing their quest for back-to-back national titles.
They will face the winner of Monday night’s Birmingham-3 Regional final between No. 1 seed Texas and No. 2 seed TCU. South Carolina has a history with both teams, holding a 2-1 record against Texas this season, including a win in the SEC Tournament. They also dominated TCU in December, securing an 85-52 victory.
With their Final Four matchup set for Friday in Tampa, Florida, South Carolina will look to keep their championship aspirations alive. After another resilient performance, there’s no doubt that this team is built for the biggest moments.
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