The South Carolina Gamecocks have secured their place in the NCAA Championship Final, largely due to their formidable defense. In a commanding performance, they limited the UConn Huskies to their lowest shooting percentage (31%) and lowest point total (48) of the season. The intense matchup even saw a heated exchange between the legendary coaches, Geno Auriemma and Dawn Staley, on the sidelines.
Despite the Gamecocks utilizing an eight-player rotation, French player Alicia Tournebize did not see action in this particular game. Tournebize, who joined South Carolina in December from Bourges, has played in 19 matches so far this season, averaging 4.2 points and 3.3 rebounds in 12 minutes per game.
For the Connecticut Huskies, Sarah Strong, daughter of Danny Strong and Allison Feaster, and possessing both American and French nationalities, delivered a strong performance with a double-double, tallying 12 points and 12 rebounds.
The highly anticipated NCAA Final will see South Carolina face off against UCLA this Sunday in Phoenix. While the Bruins will be making their historic first appearance in the championship game, the Gamecocks will be looking to clinch their third national title in just five seasons.
