Zia Cooke's 21 points lead the Gamecocks to Sweet 16 berth

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South Carolina dominated the third quarter to pull away from USF and advance to the Sweet 16 with a 76-45 win.

The Gamecocks trailed 16-12 after the first quarter and led just 33-29 at halftime. Then a 13-4 run to start the second half changed the complexion of the game for good. As is usually the case for the Gamecocks, it started on the defensive end.

USF missed its first five shots of the quarter and eight of its first nine. The Bulls shot just 2-15 in the third quarter. USF missed 11 straight shot attempts spanning the third and fourth quarters.

South Carolina didn’t shoot the lights out by any means, but the Gamecocks crashed the offensive glass, got second-chance points, and figured out ways to manufacture offense. EIght of the Gamecocks’ 17 fast break points came in the third quarter. 

“I think that we couldn’t handle their transition offense,” Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu said. “They were really great at going up and down, and we just lost it, I guess”

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South Carolina also maintained its composure while USF sometimes let frustration take over. Elena Tsineke picked up her third foul 60 feet from the basket. Moments later, Carla Brito was called for an intentional foul for trying to tackle Zia Cooke on a layup.

Cooke finished with 21 points and played tough defense throughout. She had nine points in the third quarter, and then a dagger three in the fourth.

“I just went with the game plan,” Cooke said. “Things were falling for me, my teammates were finding me.”

Aliyah Boston added 11 points, 11 rebounds, and two blocks. She was stuck on nine points with about three minutes remaining, so South Carolina ran a play to get her an open jumper. Boston nailed it and Dawn Staley immediately took Boston out, with her 81st career double-double in hand. 

“I just wanted to be physical, be that post presence, and defensively I was just trying to make it hard on Dulcy,” Boston said. “She’s a great post player, very physical, so I just wanted to make my presence known on both offense and defense.”

South Carolina held Fankam Mendjiadeu to just four points and eight rebounds. She picked up her second foul just four minutes into the game, and never got into a rhythm. 

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“I think the physicality took a toll and a wear and tear, where she’s going up against Boston and Cardoso and those guys can play one-on-one against her,” Fernandez said. “Again, she’s very, very good and has had a very, very good year, but it was a tough night.”

After Fankam Mendjiadeu picked up her second foul, South Carolina went after her, trying to get the third. That was one reason South Carolina had trouble getting into an offensive flow in the first half. 

“It was a very physical game to start off with,” Kierra Fletcher said. “We adjusted to that, I feel like, coming out in the third quarter very well, and we just did what we do. We played extremely good defense and rebounded well, and everyone was touching the ball.”

South Carolina finished with a 55-28 rebounding advantage and 17 second chance points on 24 offensive rebounds. 

Olivia Thompson provided the icing on the cake for the Gamecocks. The little-used former walk-on played just 2:10, but she hit a three-pointer with 30 seconds left. She got a standing ovation for her final shot at Colonial Life Arena.

“If that’s the last memory of her playing on Colonial Life Arena’s floor, it’s one that she’ll live to tell generations of her family,” Staley said.

Notes:

South Carolina is making its ninth consecutive Sweet 16 and 13th overall. USF has never advanced past the second round. … Fernandez thank South Carolina for its hospitality, then added he hopes he doesn’t have to see Colonial Life Arena again next year. … Elena Tsineke had 20 points, but was just 8-20 shooting. … The 2019 freshman class finished its four seasons 60-1 at Colonial Life Arena. The only loss was to NC State in 2020. … Aliyah Boston braids report: Boston sported garnet braids. … Dawn Staley fit report: Staley wore a throwback Yolanda Laney jersey. Laney was part of coach C. Vivian Stringer’s 1982 Cheyney State team that made the first NCAA championship game despite being a Division II school. … Announced attendance for the session was 10,335. … South Carolina will play its Sweet 16 game Saturday in Greenville at either 11:30 or 2:00 ET. The Gamecocks will play the winner of Monday’s Oklahoma/UCLA game.

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