'Inevitable' Aliyah Boston Praised by WCBB Twitter as No. 1 South Carolina Tops UConn
Feb 5, 2023
UConn's Lou Lopez-Senechal (11) blocks a shot by South Carolina's Zia Cooke (1) in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Sunday, Feb. 5, 2023, in Hartford, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
Top-ranked South Carolina is still unbeaten (23-0) after going on the road and beating No. 5 Connecticut 81-77 on Sunday at XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut.
The Huskies jumped out to an early 25-14 lead after the first quarter, but the Gamecocks' suffocating defense quickly turned the tables. They held UConn to nine points in the second quarter to tie the score at halftime.
In the second half, South Carolina kept Connecticut at arm's reach for the remainder of the contest.
Aliyah Boston was held without a made field goal in the first half before helping the Gamecocks take over after halftime. She finished with a game-high 26 points on 8-of-16 shooting, adding 11 rebounds for her eighth straight double-double.
There is no player I have ever seen that is triple teamed every game against every team like Aliyah Boston. I mean damn, the girl got half the line up on her in the paint.
You know the feeling when you look up and you go “wait where did that come from?”
That’s how I felt looking up to see Aaliyah Boston’s 25 point-10 board double-double. Her clutch buckets down the stretch make it a 10 point South Carolina lead.
Dawn Staley's squad hasn't experienced any sort of championship hangover after it lifted its second national title last spring. Sunday's result reinforced why South Carolina is the favorite to make it two in a row.
Kamilla Cardoso and Raven Johnson chipped in with 17 and 14 points, respectively, off the bench. Brea Beal bounced back her early trouble to maintain her elite level on defense as well.
It’s *definitely* the Kamilla Cardoso game. She now has 15 points on 6 for 7 shooting — UConn has no answers for her, and calls a timeout after her back to back baskets put the Gamecocks ahead by 6. 1:45 left in Q3.
Dawn Staley decided early she was going to run with redshirt freshman Raven Johnson over fifth-year Kierra Fletcher at the point. Huge test for the young player in this environment on the road as this game comes down to the wire. Lots of trust from Staley here.
College basketball fans basically get to do this all over again in a week. South Carolina stays on the road to play Auburn on Thursday before it welcomes No. 3 LSU and the Tigers' 22-0 record to Columbia on Feb. 12.
Beyond the implications toward the SEC title race and seeding for the NCAA tournament, it could tip the scales in the race for the top individual honors. LSU's Angel Reese is averaging 23.4 points and 15.5 rebounds, so she and Boston could have a battle for the ages on the hardwood.
Dawn Staley: 'Gut Feeling' Led to Canceling South Carolina's Games vs. BYU
Sep 4, 2022
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 03: Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks reacts during the first quarter against the UConn Huskies during the 2022 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament National Championship game at Target Center on April 03, 2022 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
South Carolina women's basketball coach Dawn Staley had a "gut feeling" that led her to cancel the team's home-and-home series with BYU.
"I slept on it a few nights, I woke up with the same gut feeling I should not put our players in that situation," she said of her decision, per the Associated Press (via ESPN.com).
The school announced Friday it was scrapping its original plans, a step taken after a Duke volleyball player said she was racially abused during a game against BYU.
"As a head coach, my job is to do what’s best for my players and staff," Staley said initially. "The incident at BYU has led me to reevaluate our home-and-home, and I don’t feel that this is the right time for us to engage in this series."
The Twitter account for BYU women's basketball team said it was "extremely disappointed in South Carolina’s decision to cancel our series and ask for patience with the on-going investigation."
We are extremely disappointed in South Carolina’s decision to cancel our series and ask for patience with the on-going investigation. We believe the solution is to work together to root out racism and not to separate from one another. #LoveOneAnother
Beyond the gravity of the allegations, BYU's handling of the matter drew some criticism.
Duke's Rachel Richardson said game officials and members of the Cougars' coaching staff "were made aware of the incident during the game, but failed to take the necessary steps to stop the unacceptable behavior and create a safe environment."
Addressing the fans at BYU's next home game, athletic director Tom Holmoe said during his speech, "If you would have met her, you would have loved her," in reference to Richardson. The comment didn't sit well with some.
BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe addresses fans in attendance before tonight's game. pic.twitter.com/UH0URY7Svx
He needed to call it what it was, which is racism. Say the word and don’t sugarcoat. Secondly, that whole bit about feeling different if they knew the Black woman who was targeted it … save it. Whether you knew her or not, this was abhorrent behavior. https://t.co/l1koe0wKr5
This apology fell short. He had an opportunity to condemn racist behavior and he failed. She was not harassed because BYU students ‘don’t know her’. The slurs were racist. This was a fail by the BYU Athletic Director. https://t.co/QVpNsjYpkK
Holmoe subsequently wrote an op-ed in Deseret News and affirmed BYU finds "racism is disgusting and unacceptable." He also defended the school's response, saying four staff members and a police officer entered the student section during the game to monitor fan behavior after BYU was first alerted to the alleged slur.
"After the game, a Duke player identified one fan as having yelled racist remarks," he said. "He was escorted out of the arena and banned from future athletic events pending review. Additionally, BYU has continued to carefully review all event audio and video in search of any racist statements or behavior."
South Carolina and BYU were originally scheduled to play Nov. 7 at Colonial Life Arena, the Gamecocks' home floor. The reigning national champions have yet to announce a replacement opponent.
Dawn Staley Cancels South Carolina’s Games vs. BYU After Incident at Volleyball Game
Sep 2, 2022
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - MARCH 31: Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks speaks to reporters following a practice session with the team at Target Center on March 31, 2022 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The South Carolina Gamecocks will play the Louisville Cardinals on April 1, 2022. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
South Carolina women's basketball head coach Dawn Staley has canceled her team's home-and-home series with BYU in the wake of Duke women's volleyball player Rachel Richardson being subjected to racist slurs and threats at a recent match at the university.
“As a head coach, my job is to do what’s best for my players and staff," Staley said in a statement. "The incident at BYU has led me to reevaluate our home-and-home, and I don’t feel that this is the right time for us to engage in this series.”
The defending national champions were scheduled to open the 2022-23 season on Nov. 7 at BYU before traveling to Provo, Utah, for a game during the 2023-24 campaign.
Richardson, a sophomore, released a statement on Twitter in which she said she and other Black teammates were "targeted and racially heckled throughout the entirety of the match" and that officials and BYU coaching staff "failed to take the necessary steps to stop the unacceptable behavior and create a safe environment."
She also said officials did not "adequately address the situation immediately following the game" when the matter was brought to their attention, though she praised BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe for his actions after he was notified.
The Gamecocks are working on finding a replacement team to play Nov. 7. They will open the season with an exhibition at home versus Benedict on Oct. 31, and their first road game is set for Nov. 11 at Maryland.
Dawn Staley Has Turned S. Carolina into NCAA Champs and a 1-of-1 Hoops Culture
Apr 5, 2022
South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley celebrates after a college basketball game in the final round of the Women's Final Four NCAA tournament against UConn Sunday, April 3, 2022, in Minneapolis. South Carolina won 64-49 to win the championship. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
MINNEAPOLIS — Dawn Staley is walking with a pep in her step and a rhythm in her body. She's hoisting the ultimate prize over her head as she grooves from center court all the way past the hoop and off the floor. She stops when she sees a group of students, the South Carolina pep band, some of whom still have their instruments around their necks.
Staley marches over to a student without an instrument on him and places the trophy in his arms. His eyebrows went up and his mouth was agape. Once he realized what had just happened, he let out a few loud and impassioned "yeahhhhhhhhs!" He was holding the NCAA women's basketball national championship trophy.
Staley has "a fascination" with the band. She believed it was important that they got their moment too.
"I want young people to experience, like, I want them to remember great experiences," she said when asked about this moment postgame. "I know some of our fans who have been band members. They follow us. They get in their car, they're on flights and they're here because of how we made them feel in moments of great pride. They're students at the University of South Carolina, and they've been here for a long time in this city, doing the thing that they love, and why not? Why not have them have pictures with the national championship trophy, because they, in fact, helped us? They created an atmosphere that—we hear them. We hear them. They're a part of the whole experience of being in the gym."
They were a part of an experience that landed South Carolina its second national championship in five years and the second for Staley. The Gamecocks defeated 11-time national champion UConn, 64-49, by playing their game, out-rebounding (49-24) and tiring out their opponent with attention to detail on the defensive end.
While the 2021-22 women's college basketball season was largely about South Carolina's effectiveness and consistency atop the AP poll—along with junior Aliyah Boston's development that has all signs pointing toward a future as the WNBA's No. 1 draft pick in 2023—the championship game was really about the less central but equally vital parts of the Gamecocks' story this season.
Sure, every time Boston was off the floor on Sunday night, the Huskies played better. They had more space to run their offensive sets, and Boston, the central nervous system of South Carolina's defense, wasn't there to lead the Gamecocks in their pristine defensive anticipation.
But this game was about the village that was both on and off the court behind South Carolina's biggest stars, head coach Staley and superstar and generational talent Boston.
On the court it was Destanni Henderson, the senior point guard who had struggled at different points this season scoring consistently, hitting shots from beyond the arc and taking care of the basketball. On Sunday night, she took some of the load off Boston and put up a career-high 26 points, including 3-of-6 from three-point range, and four assists. UConn's defensive game plan was to force South Carolina to make outside shots, something that hasn't always been its strength. But on Sunday night, Henderson made enough.
It wasn't just Henderson's offense that made a difference, but rather it was how at 5'7" she successfully defended Paige Bueckers. While Bueckers wasn't 100 percent due to coming off knee surgery in December, she stands four inches taller than Henderson and had a magical performance less than a week ago against NC State.
Staley started with Henderson on Bueckers, but in the back of her mind, there was a plan B. Usually, 6'1" Brea Beal is put on the opponents' best offensive threat, and if Henderson struggled, Staley was ready to make that adjustment. But there was no need on the game's biggest stage.
"We didn't really have to do that because Henny was super focused on just making it really hard for her," Staley said postgame. "Paige made some incredible shots, but we wanted 40 minutes of making her work, making her work, exhausting her."
Bueckers missed some shots in the final minutes of regulation that are expected to go in, as she clearly was worn down. Staley believed Henderson was the catalyst. This shouldn't have been that large of a surprise, as this was the same type of defensive performance Henderson had against Haley Jones when South Carolina beat Stanford 65-61 in December.
Now off the court, or maybe rather above it or on the sideline, Sunday's national championship game was a display of who and what South Carolina basketball is about besides offensive rebounding and playing staunch defense. The community around Gamecocks women's basketball isn't the largest in number, but it might be the loudest.
Within Target Center there were visibly more fans wearing UConn Husky blue and white, but when the arena announcer prompted the two fanbases to get loud, it was clear which had more energy, more umph in its hooting and hollering.
"Their energy is always, always with us," Henderson said. "I feel like they're the best fans ever, and the way they support us. Whether they're here, whether they're outnumbered, you're always going to hear them no matter what."
Henderson is correct, and this extends to beyond the arena and onto the internet. The Gamecocks' WBB fanbase (also known as FAM) is one of the most unapologetic on Women's Basketball Twitter. This is something that Staley also recognizes.
The day before the championship game, she was asked about what she made of the crowd's presence in the semifinal against the Louisville Cardinals. She noted that one of the diehards DM'd her on Twitter and noted that he felt like the cheering needed to be louder. He wanted to have a "FAM meeting."
She asked him where he was sitting and he sent a picture. He was way up in the upper deck. Staley told him that she'd get a ticket for him down in the lower section closer to the floor so he could lead the chants and make sure the fanbase was on the same page. And on Sunday night, that's exactly where he was, in the front row of the fan section leading the FAM chant at one point with former Gamecock and WNBA superstar A'ja Wilson.
After the game, once some of the postgame television interviews were completed and the nets were cut down, Boston was called over to the fan section. At first they didn't want to take a picture or ask for an autograph but rather wanted to talk to Boston as a person and gas her up about what she had just accomplished.
Following a selfie or two, South Carolina's superstar walked down the entire length of the lower fan section signing box scores left on the media tables, shirts and taking selfies. She was even gifted two homemade T-shirts from a group of fans. She read the text on each tee and then clutched them in her left hand as she continued signing autographs and taking pictures. As a college athlete, she wasn't being paid to do this. She wasn't paid to stop her celebration to talk and interact with fans. This was her choice.
This is what she felt like she owed this group in return for helping her and her team achieve a prophecy: winning a national championship.
"It was an order for us to be champions today," Staley said after winning her second national championship. "We weren't going to be denied. We played every possession like it was our last."
Staley's proclamation affirmed that this year, it was meant to be.
The narrative all season for the Gamecocks was that they were denied a shot at the national championship in 2020, due to the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and then the following year on the missed putback from Boston against Stanford in the semifinal game in San Antonio.
But what if the championship victory happened not on Sunday but a year or even two ago? In 2020, playing in a tournament very likely would have caused more societal hurt than joy due to the fact that the coronavirus wasn't under control. And then in 2021, while the tournament was played, the San Antonio bubble wasn't an environment that was conducive to cultivating the South Carolina women's basketball community. The smaller but awfully mighty crew of fans who are undeniably passionate about Staley and her players wouldn't have had the autonomy to make the in-arena experience what the Gamecocks needed it to be.
When B/R asked Wilson after the game about that moment when the band got to hold the trophy, she explained how it's what makes Staley's culture and program one of a kind in the country. "I don't see any other coach that does that," she said. "She makes sure that everyone is involved and everyone has a seat with the trophy because it's true. I'm waiting on my replica because all the alumni got a replica when we won it because I want to put my replica up in my house."
In San Antonio, Boston wouldn't have been able to jump up and down with their cheerleaders at center court and Staley wouldn't have been able to allow South Carolina's pep band to hold the heavy mahogany, yellow and gold national championship trophy. And Wilson most likely couldn't have danced with fans in the stands, clowned around on TikTok with Staley after she cut down the net and been able to embrace the WNBA's next superstar do-it-all post player in Boston on the court after the final buzzer.
That's why everything about 2022 was South Carolina's year. And while UConn and Stanford look to challenge the Gamecocks' chance of repeating in 2023, Boston, Staley and the culture both created internally and within the entire South Carolina community is why they aren't going anywhere as they attempt to defend their title next March.
South Carolina's Aliyah Boston Named 2022 Women's Wooden Award Winner
Apr 5, 2022
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 03: Aliyah Boston #4 of the South Carolina Gamecocks poses after cutting down a piece of the net after defeating the UConn Huskies 64-49 during the 2022 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament National Championship game at Target Center on April 03, 2022 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
South Carolina superstar Aliyah Boston was named the winner of the 2022 John R. Wooden Award on Monday after leading the Gamecocks to a national title Sunday with a 64-49 win over the UConn Huskies.
One final trophy to cap off an unforgettable year for Aliyah Boston:
The Wooden Award is given annually to the most outstanding player in college basketball.
Boston is just the second player from South Carolina to win the Wooden Award, joining WNBA star A'ja Wilson, who won it in 2018. She also won the Naismith, Associated Press and Women's Basketball Coaches Association player of the year awards this season.
The junior forward had a phenomenal 2021-22 season, averaging 16.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game while shooting 54.2 percent from the floor.
It follows up a sophomore season in which she averaged 13.7 points, 11.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game for a Gamecocks team that lost in the Final Four to eventual champion Stanford.
After South Carolina fell to Stanford last year, a photo of Boston crying circulated online. She was crying again Sunday night but clarified they were "happy tears" after finally winning a title in her junior season.
“Everyone had a picture of me crying at the end of the Final Four [last year] and they put it everywhere … but today we're national champions and [I’m crying] happy tears,” Boston said to ESPN’s Holly Rowe after the win.
Boston is undoubtedly bound for the WNBA, but she'll have at least one more season at South Carolina to add to her already-historic resume.
Paige Bueckers on Title Game Loss: 'At UConn, It's National Championship or Nothing'
Apr 4, 2022
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 03: Paige Bueckers #5 of the UConn Huskies reacts during the second quarter against the South Carolina Gamecocks during the 2022 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament National Championship game at Target Center on April 03, 2022 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
The UConn Huskies fell short in the NCAA national title game on Sunday at Target Center in Minneapolis, falling 64-49 to the South Carolina Gamecocks, and Paige Bueckers told reporters after the loss that her team is not only disappointed but also frustrated by the outcome.
"At UConn, it's national championship or nothing," Bueckers said. "Obviously upset, frustrated, disappointed. Just wish things could've gone different for our seniors."
UConn was outplayed by South Carolina from the beginning. The Gamecocks outscored the Huskies 22-8 in the first quarter and outrebounded them 12-3, including 7-0 offensively.
UConn cut into South Carolina's lead with a 19-point second quarter, but the Huskies were a step behind all night.
Bueckers, the heart and soul of the Huskies, finished with 14 points, six rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block in the loss and was the best player on the court for Geno Auriemma's squad.
While Bueckers took a step backward in terms of output, the sophomore guard still had an impressive second season with the Huskies, averaging 14.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game while shooting 55.0 percent from the floor and 35.4 percent from deep.
She noted the Huskies will use Sunday's loss as motivation to win the title next year.
"Obviously, every loss is hard to swallow and hard to watch again and go through again," Bueckers said. "You just want to make sure and do everything that you can in the offseason to prevent that from happening again."
The Huskies haven't won the national title since 2016, which marked Auriemma's 11th championship as head coach. If UConn can make it back to the championship game in 2023, Auriemma will hope to improve his title game record to 12-1.
Aliyah Boston, South Carolina Beat Paige Bueckers, UConn to Win 2022 NCAA Title
Apr 4, 2022
South Carolina's Aliyah Boston holds the trophy after a college basketball game in the final round of the Women's Final Four NCAA tournament against UConn Sunday, April 3, 2022, in Minneapolis. South Carolina won 64-49 to win the championship. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
The top-seeded South Carolina Gamecocks defeated the second-seeded UConn Huskies 64-49 on Sunday at Target Center in Minneapolis to capture their first NCAA women's title since 2017.
It's what we came here for and it's coming home to Columbia with us!
— South Carolina Women's Basketball (@GamecockWBB) April 4, 2022
This marks South Carolina's second championship, and both have come under head coach Dawn Staley, who took over in 2008. It's been an incredibly impressive run by the Gamecocks, who also knocked off No. 1 seed Louisville in the Final Four on Friday.
As for UConn, this marks their first loss in the national championship game under head coach Geno Auriemma, who is now 11-1 in title games following the Huskies' loss to the Gamecocks.
South Carolina was paced by junior forward Aliyah Boston, who averaged a double-double in the NCAA tournament, and senior guard Destanni Henderson, both of whom proved their dominance Sunday.
Aliyah Boston the Driving Force Behind South Carolina's Title Win
Boston has been South Carolina's best player all year, and while she finished with 11 points, 16 rebounds and three assists in Sunday's title game, she was a game-changer for the Gamecocks.
The National Player of the Year's gravity is one of her most lethal weapons. She drew defenders all night long and was often double-teamed by Aaliyah Edwards and Olivia Nelson-Ododa.
That opened up the floor for guards Henderson and Zia Cooke, who led the way offensively for the Gamecocks. Henderson finished with 26 points on 9-of-20 shooting from the floor and 3-of-6 shooting from deep, while Cooke finished with 11 points on 5-of-13 shooting from the floor.
Destanni Henderson leads all scorers in the National Championship game with 26 pts (and counting).
Today was her first career 20-pt game in the NCAA Tournament (14th game including tonight). pic.twitter.com/o2T1pKvJOO
— South Carolina Women's Basketball (@GamecockWBB) April 4, 2022
It was Henderson's best performance of the NCAA tournament, and it would not have been possible without Boston. Boston's gravity often left Henderson open for easy buckets. For comparison, the senior guard entered Sunday's title game averaging 10.2 points per game through the tournament.
Boston's incredible rebounding skills were also on full display against the Huskies. She finished with 16 rebounds, including five offensively, which helped the Gamecocks get a number of second-chance opportunities.
Behind Sunday's performance, Boston was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four.
Turnovers, Lack of Rebounding the Dagger for UConn
The Huskies' frequent turnovers and lack of rebounding are what ultimately did them in Sunday night.
UConn finished with 15 turnovers and 24 rebounds. For comparison, South Carolina turned the ball over 14 times and recorded 49 rebounds, including 21 offensively.
If the Huskies had rebounded better, they might have been the ones walking off the court with the championship trophy. There really wasn't much of a size difference between the two sides either, so there was no excuse for UConn's poor rebounding.
Nelson-Ododa, a senior forward, is UConn's biggest player at 6'5", while Edwards, a sophomore forward, is 6'3". Boston, a junior forward, is South Carolina's largest player at 6'5", while Victaria Saxton stands 6'2".
It's also important to note that freshman guard Azzi Fudd and senior guard Christyn Williams were nonexistent offensively against the Gamecocks. Both players didn't have a single bucket until late in the fourth quarter, as Fudd went 1-of-3 from the floor and 1-of-2 from deep, while Williams went 1-of-7 from the floor and 0-of-3 from beyond the arc.
Again, if Fudd and Williams had hit their shots, things could have gone much differently for the Huskies.
Women's Tournament 2022: UConn, South Carolina Reach Title Game
Apr 2, 2022
The South Carolina bench reacts after the second half of a college basketball game in the semifinal round of the Women's Final Four NCAA tournament Friday, April 1, 2022, in Minneapolis. South Carolina won 72-59 to advance to the finals. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
The No. 1-seeded South Carolina Gamecocks and No. 2-seeded UConn Huskies advanced to the NCAA tournament championship game Friday night with wins over Louisville and Stanford, respectively.
South Carolina has been on a mission this season to avenge its Final Four loss to Stanford in 2021. The Gamecocks last reached the championship game in 2017, when it defeated Mississippi State to capture its first NCAA title.
UConn is on a mission to win its first title since 2016, when it defeated the Syracuse Orange to win its 11th NCAA title under head coach Geno Auriemma.
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) April 2, 2022
South Carolina and UConn have not met since November 2021, when the Gamecocks thrashed the Huskies 73-57 in the inaugural Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas. However, UConn leads the all-time series 9-2.
That said, here's a look at the Final Four scores and a championship preview.
Final Four Scores
No. 1 South Carolina 72, No. 1 Louisville 59
No. 2 UConn 63, No. 1 Stanford 58
Championship Preview
The Gamecocks have been one of the most impressive teams in the NCAA tournament.
After falling to Kentucky in the SEC tournament, Dawn Staley's squad has looked unbeatable entering the championship game. South Carolina opened with a dominant 79-21 win over No. 16 seed Howard in the first round.
The Gamecocks followed that with a 49-33 victory against No. 8 seed Miami in the second round before beating No. 5 seed UNC in the Sweet 16 69-61. Since defeating the Tar Heels, South Carolina has rolled past No. 10 seed Creighton 80-50 and defeated No. 1 seed Louisville 72-59 in the Final Four.
South Carolina has been paced by junior forward Aliyah Boston, the Associated Press Player of the Year, throughout this tournament. She is averaging 18 points, 15 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game.
— South Carolina Women's Basketball (@GamecockWBB) April 2, 2022
Senior guard Destanni Henderson and junior guard Zia Cooke have also been leaders in Staley's lineup. However, credit can also go to senior forward Victaria Saxton and junior guard Brea Beal, who have helped round out the team's starting five.
The Gamecocks pride themselves on playing lockdown defense, and it's going to be difficult for UConn to break down a team that is hungry for another title.
Speaking of the Huskies, let's take a look at how they matchup against the Gamecocks.
UConn hasn't slowed down since winning the Big East tournament. The Huskies off the NCAA tournament with an 83-38 win over No. 15 seed Mercer in the first round, before defeating No. 7 seed UCF 52-47 in the second round.
UConn knocked off No. 3 seed Indiana 75-58 in the Sweet 16. Perhaps its biggest challenge before the Final Four came against No. 1 seed NC State, whom the Huskies beat 91-87.
UConn's most impressive win came against Stanford. It took a complete effort, and the team took down the Cardinal 63-58.
The Huskies have been led by superstar Paige Bueckers, who is averaging 15.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and three assists per game this tournament. The team has also gotten incredible performances from Azzi Fudd, Christyn Williams and Olivia Nelson-Ododa.
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) April 2, 2022
Against South Carolina, UConn will need to avoid foul trouble with Nelson-Ododa and Aaliyah Edwards, which has put the team in some difficult situations in this tournament already.
Edwards and Nelson-Ododa anchor the Huskies' defense, which has improved throughout the 2021-22 season. That unit will need to have its best game yet against the Gamecocks.
South Carolina's Dawn Staley Wins 2022 Naismith Women's Coach of the Year
Mar 30, 2022
South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley reacts while cutting the net following a college basketball game against Creighton in the Elite 8 round of the NCAA tournament in Greensboro, N.C., Sunday, March 27, 2022. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)
For the second time, Dawn Staley is the Naismith Women’s College Coach of the Year.
The South Carolina coach won the profession's top honor Wednesday for the second time in three years. She's led the Gamecocks to a 33-2 record and a second straight Final Four appearance.
The South Carolina program has been built in Staley's image since her arrival in 2008, growing from an SEC also-ran to one of the sport's biggest powers. South Carolina has made at least the Sweet 16 in each of the last eight NCAA tournaments; this will be the seventh time in nine seasons the team has finished with five or fewer losses.
This year's iteration is built around a dominant inside presence in Aliyah Boston and steady guard play from Destanni Henderson. The rest of the roster accentuates the two stars, playing some of the most disciplined defense in college basketball. South Carolina allowed a total of 54 points in its first two NCAA tournament wins and has held three of its four opponents to 50 or fewer points.
Staley has led South Carolina to four Final Fours, winning the 2017 national championship. The Gamecocks look to make their second title game Friday when they take on Louisville.
South Carolina's Aliyah Boston Named 2022 Naismith Women's Player of the Year
Mar 30, 2022
South Carolina forward Aliyah Boston reacts following a college basketball game against North Carolina in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA women's tournament in Greensboro, N.C., Friday, March 25, 2022. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)
South Carolina star Aliyah Boston was honored as the Naismith Women's College Player of the Year on Wednesday.
𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐘𝐄𝐀𝐑 🏆
South Carolina's Aliyah Boston has been named the 2022 @jerseymikes Naismith Women’s College Player of the Year!
Iowa's Caitlin Clark, Baylor's NaLyssa Smith and Stanford's Haley Jones were the three other finalists for the prize.
It was a big day for the Gamecocks, as head coach Dawn Staley was named the Naismith Women’s College Coach of the Year as well.
As the 2021-22 season unfolded, Boston distanced herself in the race for college basketball's top individual awards.
South Carolina went 29-2 during the regular season and ran the table in its 11 games against Top 25 opposition. The Gamecocks have reached the Final Four of the NCAA tournament and will play Louisville in the national semifinals Friday.
No player was more instrumental in the team's success than Boston.
The 6'5" forward has averaged 16.8 points, 12.2 rebounds and 2.5 blocks through 35 games. Per Her Hoop Stats, she's first in win shares (16.0) and player efficiency rating (44.9).
Boston smashed the SEC record for consecutive double-doubles, reaching 27 in the Sweet 16 with a 28-point, 22-rebound effort against North Carolina.
"I would've loved to play with Aliyah," Staley said to espnW.com's Katie Barnes. "She makes your job easy. She makes playing easier because she's telling you what you need to do."
South Carolina's 2020-21 season ended in heartbreak as Boston's put-back attempt hit the back iron in a Final Four defeat to Stanford. She was unable to hide her disappointment after the buzzer.
"I don't really think about it," she said to Barnes of the moment. "I haven't really thought about it unless I'm asked the question. Because I can't sit on it because I mean, if you sit on the moment the entire time, that's not really helping you get any better because you're focusing on that exact thing."
Boston and the Gamecocks could have a shot at redemption. Should they reach the national championship, they could face a rematch with Stanford if the Cardinal take down Connecticut in the semifinals.
As much as winning the Naismith Women's Player of the Year will mean for Boston, lifting the program's second title might be a sweeter accomplishment.
