BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — MiLaysia Fulwiley scored 23 factors, together with a go-ahead layup with 2:22 left, and Chloe Kitts added 15 factors and 11 rebounds to assist No. 1 seed South Carolina beat fourth-seeded Maryland 71-67 on Friday within the Candy 16 of the ladies’s NCAA Event.
The defending nationwide champion Gamecocks went backwards and forwards with the Terrapins all recreation earlier than lastly doing sufficient within the remaining jiffy to place it away.
South Carolina will face Duke within the Elite Eight on Sunday. The Blue Devils beat Atlantic Coast Convention rival North Carolina 47-38 earlier Friday.
Daybreak Staley’s crew trailed 60-59 with 3:25 left earlier than holding Maryland with out a level over the following three minutes. Fulwiley’s layup started the 7-0 run that gave the Gamecocks (33-3) simply sufficient of a cushion.
Kitts added three free throws in the course of the spurt and Fulwiley scored on a coast-to-coast drive.
The Gamecocks had been up 66-60 with 25 seconds left when Saylor Poffenbarger ended Maryland’s scoring drought with a 3-pointer.
However the Terps could not get nearer because the Gamecocks made 5 of six free throws down the stretch, together with two by Fulwiley with 10.9 seconds left that made it 71-65.
Kaylene Smikle scored 17 factors to guide Maryland (25-8) earlier than fouling out.
Neither crew might get into an offensive movement within the first three quarters. South Carolina trailed 43-39 late within the third earlier than closing out the interval with a 13-7 run that was capped by a spectacular transition basket by Fulwiley, who went behind her again after which hit a pull-up shot.
The 2 groups had met as soon as beforehand within the NCAA Event, an 86-75 win for South Carolina within the Elite Eight in 2023.
South Carolina averted turning into the primary defending champion to lose this early within the match since Louisville knocked off Brittney Griner and Baylor in 2013 within the Candy 16.
Maryland: The Terrapins gave the Gamecocks the whole lot they might deal with. Maryland, the 2006 nationwide champion underneath coach Brenda Frese, has solely made the Elite Eight as soon as within the final decade, that coming in 2023.
South Carolina: The Gamecocks did sufficient to maintain enjoying, however they’re going to want contributions from gamers in addition to Fulwiley and Kitts in the event that they need to repeat as champions.
South Carolina outrebounded Maryland 47-34.
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