South Carolina Gamecocks Defeat UConn Huskies In Thrilling Final Four Showdown

South Carolina Gamecocks Defeat UConn Huskies In Thrilling Final Four Showdown...

The South Carolina Gamecocks advanced to the NCAA women's basketball championship game Friday night with a 72-64 victory over the UConn Huskies in a highly anticipated Final Four matchup. The game, played at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, drew national attention as two of college basketball's premier programs clashed for a spot in Sunday's title game.

South Carolina's victory ended UConn's streak of 14 consecutive national championship game appearances. The Gamecocks were led by All-American center Kamilla Cardoso, who dominated with 22 points and 11 rebounds. UConn star Paige Bueckers scored 20 points but couldn't overcome South Carolina's defensive pressure in the fourth quarter.

The matchup is trending nationally as it marks a potential changing of the guard in women's college basketball. South Carolina, now 37-0 this season, will face either Iowa or NC State in Sunday's championship game. Social media erupted after the game, with #Gamecocks and #WFinalFour both trending on Twitter.

ESPN reported the game drew record television ratings for a women's basketball semifinal. The intense rivalry between coaches Dawn Staley of South Carolina and Geno Auriemma of UConn added extra drama to the contest. Staley's squad avenged their 2022 national championship loss to the Huskies.

Fans packed bars and watch parties across both campuses Friday night. In Columbia, South Carolina, thousands of students celebrated downtown after the final buzzer. The Gamecocks will now seek their third national title under Staley when they play Sunday at 3 p.m. ET on ABC.