March Madness: Only 1 perfect bracket remains in the ESPN Tournament Challenge
And then there was one.
And then there was one.
The numbers have been stunning in this memorable season for women’s college basketball.
South Carolina was a team high on talent but low on experience last summer. Te-Hina Paopao brought both to the Gamecocks for a season that’s just four victories away from perfection.
Three contestants in the ESPN Tournament Challenge went through the first two rounds of women’s NCAA Tournament without any misses.
Chloe Kitts tied her career high with 21 points on 9-of-9 shooting as No. 1 overall seed South Carolina easily overcame the absence of starters Kamilla Cardoso and Bree Hall to beat No. 16 seed Presbyterian 91-39 in the first round of the women’s NCAA Tournament on Friday.
South Carolina opened the NCAA Tournament without two starters as forward Bree Hall was held out for what a team spokeswoman said were “precautionary reasons.”
Kamilla Cardoso scored 17 points and Tessa Johnson 13 as No. 1 South Carolina overcame a slow start to the postseason to beat ninth-seeded Texas A&M 79-68 Friday at the SEC Tournament and reach 30 wins for a third straight season.
South Carolina guard Te-Hina Paopao is returning to the top-ranked Gamecocks for a final season in 2024-25.
South Carolina leading scorer and rebounder Kamilla Cardoso has practiced the last two days and is expected to play Thursday at Arkansas, coach Dawn Staley said Wednesday.