South Carolina advances to elite 8 for the 5th straight year

The No. 1 seeded South Carolina Gamecocks overcame a 33-31 halftime deficit with a strong second half to defeat No. 4 Maryland 71-67, advancing to the Elite Eight for the fifth consecutive year. Sophomore guard MiLaysia Fulwiley came off the bench and had a phenomenal second half, providing the spark Coach Staley’s team needed. She finished with a game-high 23 points, skillfully splitting the defense and driving to the basket at will, leading South Carolina to victory.

The Gamecocks' bench outscored the starters 40-31. In her post-game interview, Coach Staley emphasized the importance of depth, stating, “You cannot win a national championship without having depth.”

Maryland presented a significant challenge for South Carolina; the Terrapins forced 18 turnovers and led 60-59 with 3:25 remaining in the fourth quarter. Kaylene Smikle recorded a team-high 17 points for Maryland in their loss.

Next up for South Carolina is an Elite Eight matchup against No. 2 Duke on Sunday, March 30, at 1:00 PM ET on ABC in Birmingham, Alabama.