GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) – Kamilla Cardoso had 10 factors whereas reigning nationwide champion South Carolina turned in its newest overwhelming defense-and-rebounding-first efficiency to beat UCLA 59-43 on Saturday within the Candy 16 of the ladies’s NCAA Match.

Aaliyah Boston had eight factors, 14 rebounds and two blocks for the Gamecocks (35-0), the highest general match seed and the headliner within the Greenville 1 Area. It marked South Carolina’s forty first consecutive victory, securing this system’s sixth journey to the Elite Eight below Daybreak Staley.

The Gamecocks will play for his or her fifth journey to the Ultimate 4 in Monday’s regional remaining in opposition to 2-seed Maryland.

It wasn’t a straightforward offensive operation for South Carolina, with UCLA sagging defensively to pack the paint in hopes of negating the Gamecocks’ dimension benefit behind Boston. However South Carolina dominated the glass from begin to end and used its size to show each look right into a tough one for the fourth-seeded Bruins (27-10).

The Gamecocks entered the sport ranked first in Division I in scoring protection, field-goal proportion protection and rebounding margin. They did nothing to alter that, holding UCLA to 15-for-51 taking pictures (29.4%) – together with 3 for 18 from 3-point vary – whereas ending with a 42-34 rebounding benefit that narrowed late after they led huge.

Charisma Osborne scored 14 factors to guide UCLA, which was within the Candy 16 for the eighth time and first since 2019. The Bruins had been making an attempt to succeed in the regional finals for the primary time since 2018 and solely the third time in program historical past whereas pursuing their first Ultimate 4 look.

As soon as the sport began, the Bruins tried desperately to shut off the paint and dare the Gamecocks to shoot from outdoors.

However in an indication of what was to return, the Bruins stored lacking photographs that they wanted to place themselves for a shocking upset. Worse, they did not seize even a couple of of these misses to maintain possessions alive early, with South Carolina occurring to complete with a 15-8 edge on the offensive glass.

In the meantime, the Gamecocks had been capable of simply hold grinding and counting on their size. They led 25-15 at halftime earlier than lastly breaking this open by matching their game-long level complete within the third quarter.

That included a few way-too-familiar sequences for UCLA coach Cori Shut. Twice the Gamecocks managed to lob a cross inside to the 6-foot-7 Cardoso, who used her lengthy arms to succeed in over 6-2 fronting defender Christeen Iwuala and snag the ball for simple under-the-rim finishes in site visitors.

Or there was Brea Beal (10 factors) utilizing her proper hand to faucet out a unfastened rebound over Gabriela Jaquez earlier than securing it, then dumping it instantly inside to Victaria Saxton inside for a mushy hook because the lead steadily grew.

It was all the identical often-demoralizing sequences that has overwhelmed groups all season, this time coming with the home-state Gamecocks as the primary draw right here within the new double-regional format.

They drew loud cheers from the gang only for making their approach into the locker-room tunnel through the Notre Dame-Maryland sport with their sport to comply with. The roars returned as every participant who lingered to wrap up pregame shootaround got here off the courtroom – a number of waving two arms excessive in acknowledgement – in a principally full area.

The cheers had been louder, in fact, because the Gamecocks spent the ultimate minutes closing out a win to advance once more.

NOTEABLES

• The Gamecocks superior to their seventh Elite Eight in program historical past.
• South Carolina’s protection once more proved stingy, holding the Bruins to a season-low 43 factors, together with a season-low 15 factors within the first half.
• The Gamecocks completed with six blocks and now have 315 on the season. That’s second most all-time in Division I historical past, trailing UConn’s 324 in 2014.
• The 43 factors allowed are the fewest South Carolina has ever allowed in a Candy 16 sport. They’re the eighth fewest factors ever allowed by the Gamecocks in an NCAA Match sport.
• The seven factors allowed within the second quarter had been tied for the bottom this postseason by the Gamecock protection. Additionally they allowed eight factors in first quarter, marking the thirty seventh and thirty eighth time this season they’ve allowed single-digit factors in 1 / 4.
• The Gamecocks didn’t enable an offensive rebound within the first half. The primary offensive rebound for UCLA got here at 7:11 of third quarter.
• South Carolina completed with 19 crew assists, the tenth time this season they’ve mixed for 19-or-more.
• Brea Beal paced the Gamecocks within the first half, scoring all 10 of her factors and grabbing 5 rebounds. It was the seventh time this season she completed in double figures.
• Aaliyah Boston almost out-rebounded the Bruins within the first half, ending with 9 of her game-high 14 boards.
• Kierra Fletcher tied a season-high with 5 assists and set a career-high within the NCAA Match.
• Kamilla Cardoso completed with 10 factors, the seventeenth time this season she’s completed in double-digits.
• Bree Corridor additionally completed with 10 factors, her fourth time this season in double figures.

Up Subsequent

South Carolina will face Maryland in an Elite 8 matchup at 7 p.m. ET on Monday televised on ESPN.