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While McDonald, the Pac-12 Player of the Year, led the way on offense, forward Trinity Baptiste gave the team much needed size and even contributed a double-double against Indiana. The Wildcats play a relentless and energetic defense that requires a lot of turnovers, especially against teams that underestimate them.
“We just need that confidence and that momentum for UConn,” said McDonald. “UConn, we already know what it is: powerful, well-trained and skilled players. But hey, I had my chances with my teammates. Roll or die, I’ll go to war with them.
South Carolina can consolidate its status as a power.
When South Carolina won their first national title in 2017, the Gamecocks had the best player in the country to A’ja Wilson, the 2020 WNBA’s most valuable player. Coach Dawn Staley’s team seemed poised to do so. winning another trophy last season, going 32-1 behind a group of young talent who – although she didn’t have any statues like Wilson in Columbia, SC yet – looked good enough to deserve one.
Then the pandemic struck and the Gamecocks’ momentum was (temporarily) halted. This season, South Carolina have lost four times – all to ranked teams, while still showing some of the immaturity of their young core.
“When we’ve been knocked out four times this season, they came back stronger, and I like that,” Staley said after Tuesday’s win over Texas which sent his team back to the Final Four. “They haven’t even scratched the surface of how good they can be. We’re happy, but we’re not done yet. “
6-foot-5 center Aliyah Boston typically powers both defense and offense, scoring effectively under the basket, but increasingly, South Carolina’s quick guards have been playing lead roles. Junior Destanni Henderson and second Zia Cooke score threats anywhere on the floor, and the Gamecocks are playing their best basketball of the season.
Stanford has the courage to play from behind.
Stanford made it through its first three games of the tournament, barely breaking a sweat by hitting 43 points to 3 points. Then they met a disjointed Louisville team on Tuesday who spent more than half of the game in the lead; at one point in the third quarter, Louisville was leading by 14 points.
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