The Elite Eight is a milestone that many women’s basketball programs seldom achieve, if ever. Being able to successfully get out of the first three rounds of Women’s March Madness is not something to be taken lightly.
For South Carolina women’s basketball, it’s expected.
Defeating Maryland 71-61, the Gamecocks earned their way to a fifth-straight Elite Eight, hoping to defend their title.
It wasn’t perfect, and the Gamecocks learned exactly what parts of their game are going to have to change drastically before they face Duke, the No. 2 seed from Birmingham 2.
MiLaysia Fulwiley, who has put up an average of 11.8 points off the bench for South Carolina this season by shooting 42 percent from the field, is a player Staley knows is necessary in big games.
When the Maryland Terapins, who just fought through double overtime against Alabama to keep their season alive, threw everything they could at the Gamecocks in an attempt to do the same, Fulwiley was the difference.
In 21 minutes she tallied five rebounds and three assists, shooting 52.9 percent from the field for 23 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter. Her personal NCAA Tournament high was the most by South Carolina player off the bench in an NCAA tournament game since 2000.
“I just let my confidence finish the rest and it went in. So I was excited to prove my haters wrong,” said Fulwiley.
The Gamecocks were early favorites to win this year as they dominated the regular season once again, finishing first in the SEC with a 33-3 record, and they defeated Texas for the SEC title.
Of all their losses this season, none have been to a team ranked lower than No. 7 in the country. They have made it to the Final Four the last four seasons, and won national titles in 2022 and 2024.
Despite the standard of dominance that Staley has set for her teams (which have bred the likes of A’ja Wilson and Aliyah Boston) over the years, the Gamecocks aren’t immune to games that get too close for comfort. But their ability to get out of them is what sets them apart.
“Is it ugly? Yes. Are people going to say this doesn’t look like a national championship team?” Staley said. “Well, we didn’t look like one last year to most.”
A team that won their first-round game by 60, South Carolina already felt the pressure when they trailed Indiana in the second round, with Chloe Kitts and Bree Hall both scoring in double digits in the second half to pull out a 64-53 win.
So when they once again trailed in a big game, this time behind 60-59 with 3:07 left, they relied on that second wind. Maryland forward Allie Kubek fouled out, which allowed the Gamecocks to go on a 7-0 run and seal the game, largely thanks to Fulwiley’s help.
“Nobody in the country has anyone to be able to match that kind of speed,” said Maryland head coach Brenda Frese.
The talent and depth on South Carolina’s roster is one thing, but in the crunch-time moments like those against Maryland, the difference is a can’t-lose mindset, which is exactly what Fulwiley brought against the Terps.
Five different South Carolina players were held to four or less points, and the team shot just 38.5 percent from the field and 26.7 percent from the three point line. Maryland’s stifling defense grabbed eight steals and forced 18 turnovers leading to 18 points.
But like good teams and good players do, Fulwiley and the Gamecocks found a way to win — by playing their game, which they will have to clean up before a meeting with Duke.
“I mean, Lay just wants to win. So this is probably the time that she locks in a little bit more than others, because it’s win or go home,” Staley said. “There was an instance in this game where I got in her big time. And two months ago, she wouldn’t have been able to recover from it. Two months ago.
The Gamecocks also needed their best defenders to lock in. Hall and Tessa Johnson did just that as they held Maryland’s Shyanne Sellers to 3-11 shooting and forced five turnovers.
South Carolina’s defense has been elite, as they set an SEC Tournament record for the fewest points allowed in an SEC tournament championship game, set a record by holding Iowa State to 36 points, and held five-straight ranked opponents 30 points below their scoring average.
And they are going to have to do the exact same when they play Duke next, a team that is known for their defense. Players like Fulwiley are able to be the difference in a game where the Gamecocks aren’t up to their own standards, but the path to the Final Four still has a large obstacle in front of it.
Duke has been led by head coach Kara Lawson to a third-straight Big Dance and has depth of their own to compete with the Gamecocks. Against the University of North Carolina, Oluchi Okananwa notched a double-double of 12 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Blue Devils, while Ashlon Jackson played hero against No. 10 Oregon in the second round with 20 points including five three-pointers.
Despite losing to South Carolina in December, Duke has been on a hot streak, winning its past eight games, including the ACC Tournament championship game.
Both teams struggled with shooting in their Sweet 16 round matches, relying instead on gritty defense and physicality to pull them to a win, and you can expect something similar when they meet.
South Carolina is averaging 81.4 points per game while shooting 48 percent from the field, while their opponents have averaged 58.5 points per game. With Duke scoring just 47 points against UNC, the Gamecocks come out as the favorites before this matchup.
But the Blue Devils have shown that their defense is what makes them such a tough team to beat, and seeing how the Gamecocks were unable to create shots against Maryland, if they can get Fulwiley’s number, it’s anyone’s game.
