South Carolina's Ashlyn Watkins shoots over N.C. State's Madison Hayes at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on April 5, 2024.
River Baldwin succinctly summed up the difference between North Carolina State and South Carolina.
鈥淭hey're big, they keep the ball high,鈥� Baldwin said. 鈥淜amilla Cardoso holds the ball over her head, and I can't reach it.鈥�
No. 1 South Carolina remained undefeated in Cleveland, Ohio鈥檚 Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on Friday night, beating No. 3 N.C. State 78-59 in the Final Four for women鈥檚 college basketball.
Cardoso, who stands at 6-foot-7, led the Gamecocks with 22 points on 10-of-12 shooting from the floor to go with 11 rebounds. And Ashlyn Watkins, a 6-foot-3 sophomore forward, corralled a career-best 20 rebounds to go along with eight points.
Together, Watkins and Cardoso helped South Carolina (37-0) outscore N.C. State (31-7) 44-20 in the paint. The Gamecocks also grabbed 14 more rebounds than the Wolfpack and had six blocked shots.
The Gamecocks will play Iowa and its superstar guard Caitlin Clark in Sunday鈥檚 national championship game.
鈥淲e knew it was going to be a challenge,鈥� N.C. State coach Wes Moore said. 鈥淵ou just hope you catch them on a night when they're not shooting well from the perimeter so you can give more attention to Cardoso.鈥�
Mitchell Northam
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瓜神app
South Carolina's Kamilla Cardoso looks to shoot over N.C. State's River Baldwin at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on April 5, 2024.
But that didn鈥檛 happen. The Wolfpack stifled South Carolina鈥檚 3-point shooters in the first half 鈥� holding them to 2-of-9 from deep range 鈥� and N.C. State trailed at halftime by a single point. Then, in the third quarter, South Carolina came out hot, knocking down five 3-pointers to ignite a 29-6 run. Bree Hall鈥檚 3-pointer at the end-of-the-quarter buzzer gave the Gamecocks a 24-point lead and essentially sealed the win with 10 minutes to play.
N.C. State kept fighting though, and actually outscored South Carolina 22-17 in the final frame. But the hole the Gamecocks put the Wolfpack into in the third quarter proved to be too deep.
Aziaha James led the Wolfpack with 20 points, while Baldwin had 12 points and nine rebounds. Zoe Brooks added 10 points, five rebounds and three steals.
The good news for this N.C. State squad, which was in the Final Four for the first time since 1998 and just the second time in program history, is that most of its major contributors will return next season. Aside from Mimi Collins 鈥� who logged seven points and five rebounds 鈥� and Baldwin, who have exhausted their collegiate eligibility, the other seven players who played in Friday night鈥檚 game are due to come back.
鈥淭his loss, it's going to hurt right now. But we have to still stick together and be a family and still love each other,鈥� James said. 鈥淎s a senior next year, I'm going to still emphasize that the same way. We're going to be a sisterhood.鈥�
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N.C. State huddles up before facing South Carolina at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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N.C. State's Saniya Rivers dances during introductions at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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N.C. State's Mimi Collins jumps for a pregame high-five at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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South Carolina coach Dawn Staley shakes the hands of N.C. State coaches at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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N.C. State coach Wes Moore watches his team against South Carolina at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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South Carolina's Kamilla Cardoso and N.C. State's Saniya Rivers compete for a jump ball at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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N.C. State's River Baldwin guards South Carolina's Kamilla Cardoso at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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N.C. State's River Baldwin guards South Carolina's Kamilla Cardoso at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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South Carolina's Bree Hall prepares to shoot against N.C. State at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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N.C. State coach Wes Moore reviews notes during a timeout at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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South Carolina's MiLaysia Fulwiley scores on a fast break at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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N.C. State's River Baldwin guards South Carolina's Sania Feagin at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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Actor Jason Sudeikis chats with WNBA player Breanna Stewart at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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N.C. State's Aziaha James takes a free throw against South Carolina at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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N.C. State's Aziaha James listens closely during a timeout at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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On a dry-erase board on the floor, N.C. State coach Wes Moore draws up a play during a timeout at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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N.C. State coach Wes Moore talks to his players during a timeout at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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N.C. State's bench celebrates a 3-pointer at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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South Carolina guard Raven Johnson plays against N.C. State at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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N.C. State's Zoe Brooks looks up at the scoreboard at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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N.C. State's Madison Hayes calls out assignments to her teammates at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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ACC commissioner Jim Phillips watches N.C. State play against South Carolina at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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N.C. State's Mimi Collins watches her teammates play against South Carolina at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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South Carolina's Kamilla Cardoso boxes out N.C. State's River Baldwin at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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N.C. State's Aziaha James looks to drive against South Carolina at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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N.C. State's Madison Hayes talks to her teammates in the huddle during a timeout at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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N.C. State's Saniya Rivers is interviewed by ACC Network after losing to South Carolina at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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Aziaha James and River Baldwin answer questions at a press conference after N.C. State lost to South Carolina at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
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After South Carolina topped N.C. State, Iowa guard Caitlin Clark waited in the tunnel at the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024.
Mitchell Northam is a Digital Producer for 瓜神app. His past work has been featured at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, SB Nation, the Orlando Sentinel and the Associated Press. He is a graduate of Salisbury University and is also a voter in the AP Top 25 poll for women's college basketball.
The officer who was shot was transported to WakeMed hospital and remains in critical condition as of Wednesday morning. Additionally, two people involved with the case 鈥� the suspect and another adult male 鈥� are dead, police said.
A man was killed at a North Hills restaurant Friday afternoon. Two others, including the shooter and an apparent bystander, were also injured. The bystander sustained non life-threatening injuries, according to police.
Raleigh will soon reopen bids for its first bus rapid transit line on New Bern Avenue. In its first two attempts, the city received only one bid that was $30 million over budget.
In College Park and other southeast Raleigh neighborhoods, modern-looking, multi-story homes are going up next to much smaller homes that have been here for nearly a century. They often sell for more than a half-million dollars, while the older homes can be valued at around $100,000.
State Superintendent Mo Green has taken the helm at the Department of Public Instruction, while Treasurer Brad Briner and Lieutenant Governor Rachel Hunt join the State Board of Education.
