South Carolina scraps out a victory to advance to the Sweet 16

Top seed South Carolina beat ninth-seeded Indiana 64-53 on Sunday in the women's NCAA Tournament and reached its 11th straight Sweet 16.  Bree Hall had 11 points and Chloe Kitts had 10 points and 11 rebounds.

In next week's Birmingham 2 Regional, the Gamecocks will play either fourth-seeded Maryland or fifth-seeded Alabama. Those teams play tonight.

After a terrible first-half performance where South Carolina shot just 10 of 29 and trailed the Hoosiers 26-25 at the break, nobody at Colonial Life Arena was locking them into that game.  But the Gamecocks came out on fire in the third quarter, hitting nine of their first 10 shots for a 20-7 run to take control. 

The atmosphere in the arena was electric as the crowd erupted with every basket South Carolina made during their comeback. Fans were on their feet, cheering loudly and waving banners, creating a wave of energy that seemed to fuel the players on the court. The intensity and excitement were palpable, as the Gamecocks turned the momentum in their favor, leaving the Hoosiers struggling to regain their footing.

Indiana couldn’t get closer than seven points the rest of the way.

This victory was significant for South Carolina as it demonstrated their resilience and ability to overcome adversity in high-pressure situations. Advancing to their 11th straight Sweet 16 reflects the team's consistent excellence and solidifies their status as one of the premier programs in women's college basketball. The win also boosts their confidence as they prepare to face tougher opponents in the upcoming rounds of the tournament.