South Carolina's Ashlyn Watkins shoots over N.C. State's Madison Hayes at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on April 5, 2024.
River Baldwin succinctly summed up the difference between North Carolina State and South Carolina.
“They're big, they keep the ball high,” Baldwin said. “Kamilla Cardoso holds the ball over her head, and I can't reach it.”
No. 1 South Carolina remained undefeated in Cleveland, Ohio’s Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on Friday night, beating No. 3 N.C. State 78-59 in the Final Four for women’s college basketball.
Cardoso, who stands at 6-foot-7, led the Gamecocks with 22 points on 10-of-12 shooting from the floor to go with 11 rebounds. And Ashlyn Watkins, a 6-foot-3 sophomore forward, corralled a career-best 20 rebounds to go along with eight points.
Together, Watkins and Cardoso helped South Carolina (37-0) outscore N.C. State (31-7) 44-20 in the paint. The Gamecocks also grabbed 14 more rebounds than the Wolfpack and had six blocked shots.
The Gamecocks will play Iowa and its superstar guard Caitlin Clark in Sunday’s national championship game.
“We knew it was going to be a challenge,” N.C. State coach Wes Moore said. “You just hope you catch them on a night when they're not shooting well from the perimeter so you can give more attention to Cardoso.”
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South Carolina's Kamilla Cardoso looks to shoot over N.C. State's River Baldwin at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on April 5, 2024.
But that didn’t happen. The Wolfpack stifled South Carolina’s 3-point shooters in the first half – holding them to 2-of-9 from deep range – and N.C. State trailed at halftime by a single point. Then, in the third quarter, South Carolina came out hot, knocking down five 3-pointers to ignite a 29-6 run. Bree Hall’s 3-pointer at the end-of-the-quarter buzzer gave the Gamecocks a 24-point lead and essentially sealed the win with 10 minutes to play.
N.C. State kept fighting though, and actually outscored South Carolina 22-17 in the final frame. But the hole the Gamecocks put the Wolfpack into in the third quarter proved to be too deep.
Aziaha James led the Wolfpack with 20 points, while Baldwin had 12 points and nine rebounds. Zoe Brooks added 10 points, five rebounds and three steals.
The good news for this N.C. State squad, which was in the Final Four for the first time since 1998 and just the second time in program history, is that most of its major contributors will return next season. Aside from Mimi Collins – who logged seven points and five rebounds – and Baldwin, who have exhausted their collegiate eligibility, the other seven players who played in Friday night’s game are due to come back.
“This loss, it's going to hurt right now. But we have to still stick together and be a family and still love each other,” James said. “As a senior next year, I'm going to still emphasize that the same way. We're going to be a sisterhood.”
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N.C. State huddles up before facing South Carolina at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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N.C. State's Saniya Rivers dances during introductions at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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N.C. State's Mimi Collins jumps for a pregame high-five at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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South Carolina coach Dawn Staley shakes the hands of N.C. State coaches at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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N.C. State coach Wes Moore watches his team against South Carolina at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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South Carolina's Kamilla Cardoso and N.C. State's Saniya Rivers compete for a jump ball at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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N.C. State's River Baldwin guards South Carolina's Kamilla Cardoso at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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N.C. State's River Baldwin guards South Carolina's Kamilla Cardoso at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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South Carolina's Bree Hall prepares to shoot against N.C. State at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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N.C. State coach Wes Moore reviews notes during a timeout at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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South Carolina's MiLaysia Fulwiley scores on a fast break at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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N.C. State's River Baldwin guards South Carolina's Sania Feagin at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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Actor Jason Sudeikis chats with WNBA player Breanna Stewart at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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N.C. State's Aziaha James takes a free throw against South Carolina at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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N.C. State's Aziaha James listens closely during a timeout at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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On a dry-erase board on the floor, N.C. State coach Wes Moore draws up a play during a timeout at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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N.C. State coach Wes Moore talks to his players during a timeout at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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N.C. State's bench celebrates a 3-pointer at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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South Carolina guard Raven Johnson plays against N.C. State at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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N.C. State's Zoe Brooks looks up at the scoreboard at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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N.C. State's Madison Hayes calls out assignments to her teammates at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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ACC commissioner Jim Phillips watches N.C. State play against South Carolina at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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N.C. State's Mimi Collins watches her teammates play against South Carolina at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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South Carolina's Kamilla Cardoso boxes out N.C. State's River Baldwin at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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N.C. State's Aziaha James looks to drive against South Carolina at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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N.C. State's Madison Hayes talks to her teammates in the huddle during a timeout at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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N.C. State's Saniya Rivers is interviewed by ACC Network after losing to South Carolina at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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Aziaha James and River Baldwin answer questions at a press conference after N.C. State lost to South Carolina at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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After South Carolina topped N.C. State, Iowa guard Caitlin Clark waited in the tunnel at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
Mitchell Northam is a Digital Producer for WUNC. His past work has been featured at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, SB Nation, the Orlando Sentinel and the Associated Press. He is a graduate of Salisbury University and is also a voter in the AP Top 25 poll for women's college basketball.
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