It may not have been as pretty as in past years, but destiny arrives all the same. South Carolina women’s basketball advanced back to yet another Final Four after a 54-50 win over No. 2 seed Duke in the Elite Eight.
South Carolina wasn’t as dominant as it usually is on its road to the final weekend, but it showed championship grit and toughness when it needed to. The Gamecocks trailed at halftime in the second round against Indiana before staging fourth quarter comebacks in the Sweet 16 against Indiana and in the Elite Eight against Duke to get three hard-fought wins and get to the Final Four.
South Carolina will now play in the Final Four for the fifth consecutive season, and Dawn Staley had a message for Gamecock fans after the win.
Dawn Staley addresses the crowd after @GamecockWBB makes the Final Four pic.twitter.com/O7kTZRb6AQ
— Matt Dowell (@MattDowellTV) March 30, 2025
“You made us feel special. You put women’s basketball on the map,” Staley said to the crowd after the game. “To our fans: We don’t win this game without the energy you put into this building tonight. So thank you. I’m always thank you because you’re always doing your part. See you in Tampa!”
South Carolina trailed 42-38 at the start of the fourth quarter against the ACC Champions on Sunday, but Staley and company held the Blue Devils to just eight points in the entire fourth quarter to come back and get the win. Now, the Gamecocks await the winner of a very competitive game between LSU and top overall seed UCLA.
South Carolina women’s basketball is also looking for its second consecutive national championship on top of that Final Four streak after beating Iowa in the title game last season. The Gamecocks will certainly feel like the favorites in Tampa Bay in the Final Four after winning the SEC Tournament Championship, but there are still plenty of valiant contenders that will be amped up to knock them off of their throne.
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