South Carolina Overcomes Indiana to Keep Title Hopes Alive
South Carolina’s championship aspirations remain intact after a hard-fought Round of 32 victory over Indiana. With the 64-53 win, the Gamecocks now await the winner of Monday’s Alabama vs. Maryland matchup, which will determine their Sweet 16 opponent.
It wasn’t smooth sailing early on, as USC trailed by eight points at one stage and entered halftime behind. But as great teams do, South Carolina found another gear in the second half, surging past the Hoosiers to secure the win. After the game, the Gamecocks didn’t hold back in addressing pregame remarks from Indiana’s Sydney Parrish.
Parrish, reflecting on last year’s Sweet 16 battle between the two teams, suggested that Indiana had a better shot this time due to South Carolina’s lack of a dominant post presence.
“Without a 6-7 kid in there, with Kamilla (Cardoso) and Ashlyn Watkins being injured at the beginning of this year, that definitely helps us,” Parrish said before the matchup.
South Carolina guard Raven Johnson made sure to respond after the Gamecocks proved their strength without their star bigs.
“People say we don’t have this dominant big,” Johnson said. “I know y’all saw the press conference of what the Indiana girl said about we wasn’t gonna win without Ashlyn or Kamilla. We don’t need Ashlyn or Kamilla to win. We got a whole team full of dogs. We’ve got MiLaysia [Fulwiley], we’ve got Tessa [Johnson]—I can name the whole roster. We’ve got dogs on this team.”
That depth was on full display against Indiana. Chloe Kitts posted a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds, Bree Hall led all scorers with 11 points, and Sania Feagin chipped in 10 points.
It was a true team effort, showcasing exactly why South Carolina remains one of the most dangerous teams in the nation—and why many believe they’re primed to repeat as national champions.
