It is often requested, “who is the true Carolina?” According to postseason enjoy this earlier 12 months, it goes to the Gamecocks.
South Carolina faced UNC in the postseason three situations across 3 distinctive sports, together with football, women’s soccer and women’s basketball. In every single of these match-ups, the Gamecocks arrived out on top.
Soccer
In head mentor Shane Beamer’s initial year with South Carolina, the staff gained a location in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl. The Gamecocks performed the Tar Heels at Financial institution of The us Stadium in Charlotte, NC on Dec. 30, 2021.
Major up to the recreation, the Gamecocks led the all-time series 38-21. Even with the sequence document, North Carolina defeated South Carolina 24-20 the final time they fulfilled in 2019. Due to the fact then, the Gamecocks acquired a new head mentor and both equally sides acquired entirely diverse rosters.
The bowl match started out off in favor of the Gamecocks. The group scored 18 factors in the very first quarter and kept UNC scoreless.
By halftime, North Carolina was able to get on the board with 13 details. Irrespective of this, they were being not able to preserve up with South Carolina’s offense. The Gamecocks acquired 543 yards offensively, rotating graduate quarterback Zeb Noland and redshirt junior vast receiver Dakereon Joyner less than centre.
South Carolina defeated the Tar Heels 38-21 and won the Duke’s Mayo Bowl, making it the team’s very first bowl video game victory because 2017.
“Anything that we reported was how we’re going to win this football match is specifically what took place,” Beamer claimed. “This is a special, particular team.”
Women’s Soccer
Following ending the frequent season 11-6-1 and rated No. 4 in the SEC, head coach Shelley Smith and the workforce hoped for a probability to contend in the NCAA match.
Through the annual NCAA Range Demonstrate, South Carolina’s prayers had been answered. The workforce was picked to participate in the 2022 NCAA Match as an unseeded staff. In the initially round, they ended up established to face off in opposition to No. 10 North Carolina in Chapel Hill.
Previous the match, South Carolina faced UNC on four various occasions, both of those groups possessing received two game titles each individual. Not only was this a series tie-breaker, but it was an chance for the Gamecocks to upset one of the most prosperous women’s soccer programs in the country.
The two teams battled from the to start with whistle, each sides getting several scoring prospects. In the closing minutes of the match, graduate ahead Luciana Zullo scored to place the Gamecocks in advance.
“Amazing, awesome functionality,” Smith said. “They arrived out these days and did the task they essential to do.”
The Gamecocks were being able to maintain on for the remaining minutes and defeat the Tar Heels, 1-. The team not only finished their opponent’s time but sent them its to start with opening-round loss in NCAA tournament historical past.
Pursuing this victory, the workforce went on a historic operate to the Elite 8. Following a lot more than two months on the highway where by it defeated Hofstra and Penn State, the Gamecocks’ time arrived to a shut when they fell to Brigham Youthful University, 4-1.
Women’s Basketball
Following very last year’s heartbreaking loss to Stanford in the Ultimate 4, head mentor Dawn Staley and her staff were being wanting for redemption.
The Gamecocks concluded the standard time 27-1 and ranked No. 1 in the nation. Regardless of falling to Kentucky in the SEC Event Final, the workforce earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and were being the heavy favorites to get it all.
South Carolina cruised by means of the to start with two rounds at Colonial Lifestyle Arena, defeating Howard 79-21 and Miami (FL) 49-33. Its following matchup was in opposition to UNC, where by they competed for a location in the Elite 8 in Greensboro, NC.
The Gamecocks led for most of the video game, the largest guide becoming 13 factors in the fourth quarter. Junior forward Aliyah Boston led the group with 28 points and 22 rebounds. When the closing buzzer sounded, South Carolina defeated UNC, 69-61.
“I am proud of our players for gutting it out,” Staley claimed. “We located ourselves in a two-possession video game in the fourth quarter and we beared down and gained the sport.”
The crew went on to generate a place in the championship video game exactly where they defeated No. 2 UConn 64-49 to win the title. This is the second countrywide championship the Gamecocks have won, the initially one particular in 2017.
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