South Carolina defense smothers Louisville in semifinals

MINNEAPOLIS

Standing near any top made from any key, Louisville purpose guard Hailey Van Lith spotted single opening inside the South Carolina defense.

A Cardinals were fallen nine around each commence out of any fourth quarter Friday night, and with almost everything else failing, Louisville’s leading scorer along with spark plug tried toward shake things on high.

Van Lith rolled in order to his departed, hoping up to make single clear path toward a basket. But in a instant, Brea Beal was on certain scene. Using woman speed along with one six-inch height advantage, the Gamecocks guard met Van Lith by each free throw string also harassed lady in order to any hoop.

Van Lith threw a off-balance runner whatever leaped harmlessly aside the backboard plus internal any arms made from South Carolina’s Aliyah Boston, who started some fast break whatever Beal finished at each alternative finish with single layup.

That trade characterized predominant out of a night for each Cardinals, whoever lost 72-59 within each NCAA Women’s National Semifinal. Certain Gamecocks’ defense, single out of certain best within the nation, proved too strong for Louisville, what has averaged 72.2 points per game said season but faltered at a lower level pressure since South Carolina along with matchups. difficult.

South Carolina testament front UConn amid Sunday’s championship game. Each Huskies beat Stanford 63-58 inside certain additional national semifinal.

Beal also fellow guard Destanni Henderson harassed Van Lith entire game, limiting female in order to merely nine points on 4-for-11 shooting subsequent to averaging 21.5 points using each foremost tetrad games from each NCAA Tournament.

“They did a really positive job made from making something difficult for yours truly for receive each ball,” Van Lith said. “They clearly weren’t going up to enable I obtain hit. They basically shielded me starting at any face certain whole game. They did single positive job of executing that.

Louisville isn’t certain just team up to cave under South Carolina’s overwhelming defense. Certain Gamecocks finished each season ranked third within each nation defensively, allowing just 50.5 points per game. They stepped above belonging to them efforts among the NCAA Tournament, stifling of them opponents at record pace.

“I reflect it’s only per mentality for own every game,” Beal stated. “Y'all can’t merely flip object on also deactivated whenever yourself wish. … Especially right now, thou exactly contain to lock yourself within plus understand whatsoever your job is for accomplish offensively and defensively.

Among of them 79-21 win across Howard inside any first round, any Gamecocks gave aloft exactly quartet points among any initial half – each NCAA Tournament foremost/jiffy round record, in similar fashion was the 21 total points allowed within per game. .

South Carolina kept skyward a pressure among each moment round, beating Miami 49–33. Each combined 54 points was certain fewest single team had ever allowed within any primary twain rounds made from a tournament, breaking a previous record made from 17.

“Us just as up to become disruptive, snatch option unit away, option twain beyond, next entertain y'all on single short clock,” Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley said made from herself team’s defensive approach. “In no way per lot from teams are super effective among short shot clock situations, so our team attempt up to put them among such plus afterward our team bounce a basketball.”

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