For the third time in four years, South Carolina is heading back to the national championship game.
After a slow start, the No. 1-seeded Gamecocks surged back and beat No. 1 seed Texas, 74-57, in the first matchup of the 2025 Final Four. South Carolina took care of business behind a strong third quarter and an electric performances from Te-Hina Paopao and Joyce Edwards.
Te-Hina Paopao put up a team-high 14 points for South Carolina in the Gamecocks’ win over Texas. (Photo by C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
(C. Morgan Engel via Getty Images)
Like many South Carolina wins this season, the game started off slow for the Gamecocks. But South Carolina battled back to make it a one-point deficit at the end of the first quarter, and held the Longhorns back throughout the second frame.
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A giant third quarter seemed to seal the deal for the Gamecocks: South Carolina outscored Texas 20-9, which extended a 38-35 halftime lead to 58-44. The lead only grew in the fourth quarter, with a number of key 3-pointers sealing the deal for the Gamecocks.
Nearly every Gamecock chipped in, with every player who got more than a minute of action scoring points in the win. Paopao and Edwards stood out. Paopao picked up 14 points behind three 3-pointers. Edwards added another great game to a stellar freshman season, ending with 13 points, 11 rebounds and six assists off the bench.
Bree Hall also had a solid game, putting up 11 points and keeping her smile, even after taking a little spill in the third quarter.
It’s a disappointing loss for Texas, who was slightly short-handed. Star forward Madison Booker got into early foul trouble and sat a large portion of the game. Freshman guard Jordan Lee filled in, putting up a game-high 16 points, but she couldn’t turn the tide alone.
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Instead, it’ll be South Carolina moving on to the title game, capping off another dominant season with a championship appearance. The Gamecocks will face UConn, which dominated UCLA, for the title on Sunday.
