Since then, Staley has recruited in addition to or higher than UConn Coach Geno Auriemma, has come close to matching his salary, and has made her crew a constant risk for a deep run within the match.
She has not returned to the title recreation till now.
If she will be able to win the Gamecocks their second championship, this system’s standing as a powerhouse will likely be confirmed; in the event that they lose, it is perhaps seen as proof that UConn’s dominance persists despite all the expansion that has occurred across the sport.
Can South Carolina rating sufficient?
South Carolina is aware of the important thing to its recreation is a suffocating protection. The query is whether or not its guards, who underperformed in a number of the early rounds, can provide you with sufficient factors to remain forward of the Huskies.
Destanni Henderson and Zia Cooke sank essential 3-point photographs in opposition to Louisville, however the Huskies held Stanford — sometimes a powerful crew from behind the arc — to simply 4 triples within the semifinal. The Gamecocks guards should get inventive to complement Aliyah Boston’s constant and prolific scoring.
Aliyah Boston will in fact be a focus.
Boston received this yr’s Naismith Trophy earlier this week, and that signifies that this yr’s and final yr’s (Bueckers) finest school basketball gamers will compete for the sport’s most vital prize.
Boston, a 6-foot-5 ahead, has performed remarkably over the previous two video games, padding the field rating however extra crucially enjoying with poise and management. She has prevented fouling out of frustration and located methods to make groups pay for double- and triple-teaming her.
She might want to summon that energy and persistence another time this season if the Gamecocks are to beat the Huskies.
If the Ultimate 4 video games are any indication, this championship recreation will likely be a bodily one. South Carolina hasn’t been notably efficient from the free throw line this season, making simply 67.7 p.c of its photographs. However the Gamecocks made a better share of their possibilities in opposition to Louisville, largely due to Boston’s spectacular consistency. In what seems to be a tightly fought matchup, profiting from these alternatives will likely be vital.
