COLUMBIA, S.C. — Top-seeded South Carolina overcame a sluggish first half to defeat ninth-seeded Indiana 64-53 on Sunday, securing their 11th consecutive Sweet 16 appearance in the women’s NCAA Tournament.
Bree Hall scored 11 points, while Chloe Kitts contributed 10 points all in the second half as the Gamecocks (32-3) turned the game around after trailing 26-25 at halftime. Kitts also grabbed 10 rebounds, helping her team dominate the boards. South Carolina will face either fourth-seeded Maryland or fifth-seeded Alabama in the Birmingham 2 Regional next week, with their opponent to be decided on Monday night.
Despite struggling offensively in the first half, shooting just 10-of-29 from the field, the Gamecocks came out strong in the third quarter, hitting nine of their first 10 shots during a decisive 20-7 run. Hall’s third three-pointer capped the surge, giving South Carolina full control.
Indiana, led by Shay Ciezki’s 12 points, fought to stay competitive but never got closer than seven points in the second half. Sania Feagin added 10 points for South Carolina, which remains undefeated (18-0) in home NCAA Tournament games.
Key Takeaways:
Indiana: The Hoosiers held their own early but struggled to keep up with South Carolina’s depth and talent over the full 40 minutes.
South Carolina: For the second year in a row, Indiana challenged the Gamecocks, serving as a reminder that they can’t afford slow starts. Head coach Dawn Staley will likely use this game as a teaching moment for the rest of the tournament.
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