We’re already a quarter of the way through the 21st century — let that sink in for a moment. Now, with time firmly marching on, it’s the perfect moment to look back at the South Carolina women’s basketball program’s biggest achievements of the past 25 years.
Earlier this week, we counted down moments 25 through 11. Today, we break into the top 10 — a list filled with buzzer-beaters, championships, and program-defining victories.
10. Olivia Gaines’ Sweet 16 Shock (2015)
Gaines was known more for her defense than her scoring, but in the Sweet 16 against North Carolina, she delivered an unexpected baseline jumper to tie the game. While Tiffany Mitchell later sank the game-winner, Gaines’ clutch bucket showed the Gamecocks’ resilience. That same grit carried them past Florida State in the Elite Eight and into their first-ever Final Four.
9. “There’s No Place Like Home” – The A’ja Wilson Weekend (2014)
The weekend A’ja Wilson — the nation’s top recruit — made her official visit was the moment South Carolina became a powerhouse. Fans were given neon green shirts reading “There’s no place like home” and chanted “We want A’ja” (or “Asia,” to skirt recruiting violations). The neon wave kept growing, with 7,828 fans packing the arena that night. Attendance swelled over the following weeks, eventually leading the nation. Wilson chose to stay home, cementing a new era of dominance.
8. “Gosh, That’s Pretty” (2020)
In the SEC title game against Mississippi State, the Gamecocks produced a play for the ages. Aliyah Boston grabbed a rebound, passed to Ty Harris, who fed Mikiah Herbert Harrigan, then to Zia Cooke, and finally to Bea Beal for the layup — all five players touched the ball, and only one dribble was taken. “Gosh, that’s pretty,” announcer Courtney Lyle gushed. It was basketball perfection, and weeks later, Mississippi State’s coach Vic Schafer left for Texas.
7. A’ja Wilson’s Game-Winning Putback vs. Duke (2014)
Duke was the powerhouse, South Carolina the upstart. With 1.8 seconds left, Wilson’s putback sealed the win in hostile Cameron Indoor Stadium. The victory proved the Gamecocks weren’t just a top-ranked team — they were elite. “They kept coming and coming and coming,” teammate Aleighsa Welch marveled about the traveling fans. That win helped launch the program’s first Final Four run.
6. Kamilla Cardoso’s Miracle Three (2024)
Tennessee led 73–71 with just 1.1 seconds left in the SEC semifinals. Raven Johnson inbounded from near midcourt, finding Cardoso, who stepped back and banked in the first three-pointer of her career. South Carolina stayed perfect — and proved that even an undefeated season needs a little magic.
5. Finally Beating UConn (2020)
The atmosphere was electric, the hottest ticket of the millennium. South Carolina fans packed the arena hours before tipoff, and the Gamecocks crushed UConn’s spirit early, holding them to just two points in the first quarter. Mikiah Herbert Harrigan’s third-quarter three and celebratory pose sent the crowd into delirium. Geno Auriemma admitted afterward, “Shit, we’re allowed to lose once in a while,” but this was more than a loss — it was a shift in the rivalry’s balance of power.
4. 2022 National Championship
A redemption story. After a heartbreaking end to the 2021 season, South Carolina left no doubt against UConn, controlling the game from start to finish. While not as dramatic as other title runs, the win was sweet — especially with Aliyah Boston’s tears of joy replacing the tears of heartbreak from the year before.
3. 2017 National Championship Run
The first title will always be special. To get there, South Carolina had to first beat Stanford — a program Dawn Staley had never beaten. With Allisha Gray scoring 18, A’ja Wilson grabbing 19 rebounds, and freshman Tyasha Harris delivering in the clutch, the Gamecocks broke through.
2. Morgan William’s Buzzer-Beater (2017)
In the other semifinal, Mississippi State’s Morgan William hit a buzzer-beater to stun UConn and snap their 111-game win streak. For South Carolina, watching that shot drop was like watching the trophy being handed to them. Against Mississippi State — a team they had beaten 10 straight times — the championship was inevitable, and so it was.
