STOCKTON, Calif. (AP) - Sure, South Carolina knew a little something about Quinnipiac’s surprising NCAA Tournament run as Connecticut’s other Sweet 16 team.
The Gamecocks ignored the “Q’’ on the front of the opposing jersey and immediately went to work.
Kaela Davis, A’ja Wilson and top-seeded South Carolina overpowered the upstarts from the opening tip, scoring the first 16 points and advancing to the Stockton Regional final by beating the 12th-seeded Bobcats 100-58 on Saturday.
“It doesn’t matter what name is on the jersey, we come out to play. Obviously they had a good run, but we’ve still got a mission to complete, and that’s to make it to the Final Four and national championship,” Allisha Gray declared.
“I second that,” Davis followed.
Davis scored 28 points with five 3s, Wilson added 24 and South Carolina’s athleticism and smothering, swarming defense was just too much for Quinnipiac on the Sweet 16 stage. The Bobcats started out 0 for 10 and took more than seven minutes to score as they struggled to get shots off, let alone establish their typically prolific perimeter game.
Gray had 19 points and eight rebounds as South Carolina (30-4) won its eighth in a row, putting coach Dawn Staley’s team in the Elite Eight for the second time in three years.
“I thought our players came out ready to play on both sides of the ball,” Staley said.
The Bobcats (29-7) had won 12 straight games, beating fifth-seeded Marquette and No. 4 Miami for the first two NCAA Tournament wins in school history. The mid-major school became an upset darling as the lesser-known women’s team in its state, prompting UConn coach Geno Auriemma to wear a Quinnipiac T-shirt on Friday beneath his warmup jacket in support of dear friend and coach Tricia Fabbri and her program’s special showing.
“We put our school on the map. Not only do they know how to pronounce our school now, they know who we are and what we stand for and what we’re all about,” said Jen Fay, who will return next season looking for more.
Wilson, averaging 19.6 points over her previous five games, shot 7 for 9 and made all 10 of her free throws. Gray was fine after getting carried off the court late in South Carolina’s 71-68 comeback win against Arizona State last Sunday because of a hamstring cramp that initially was feared to be more serious.
The Gamecocks shot 61 percent, including 10 of 16 from 3-point range, and made 18 of 19 free throws. They are trying to return to the Final Four for the first time since 2015, with sights on the program’s first NCAA championship.
“They disrupted us all day long in terms of us offensively and really feeling comfortable,” Fabbri said. “South Carolina lived up to their No. 1 seed all game long.”
Staley’s team kept pushing after halftime, opening the third quarter on an 11-2 run and capitalized on a technical against the Bobcats’ bench.
Adily Martucci and Fay each scored 12 points for Quinnipiac.
When senior Morgan Manz sat down for the final time in the closing minutes, she and Fabbri came together for a long, emotional embrace. Then, it was Martucci’s turn.
“More just embracing her for the last time, at least on the court,” Martucci said. “I don’t know if I remember any specific words said. Just hugged my coach.”
The Bobcats had three early turnovers and didn’t score until Fay’s two free throws with 2:51 left in the first quarter.
BIG PICTURE
Quinnipiac: The Bobcats were just the fourth 12 seed to reach the Sweet 16 and the lowest seed in this year’s tournament still playing. … Quinnipiac had 55 assists on 78 baskets in the three NCAA games. … The team hit 15 3-pointers to get past Miami last Monday but was only 6 for 13 from long range Saturday.
South Carolina: The Gamecocks have scored 90 or more points in three of their last seven games. … South Carolina went 15 for 15 from the free throw line in the first half. … The Gamecocks held a 35-18 rebounding advantage and forced 17 turnovers.
UP NEXT
South Carolina plays Monday night at Stockton Arena against No. 3 Florida State (28-6), a 66-53 winner against second-seeded Oregon State in Saturday’s second game.
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