South Carolina’s title retention bid remained alive after escaping Duke, 54-50, in their Elite Eight clash in the women’s NCAA Tournament on Sunday.

Gamecocks star Chloe Kitts sank two free throws in the dying seconds to seal the win and advance to the Final Four for the fifth straight time. Kitts finished with a team-high 14 points and added four rebounds.

With them holding to a precarious two-point lead with only seven seconds left, Kitts said coach Dawn Staley drew up the final play for her. She got fouled by Duke guard Oluchi Okananwa and went to the line.

The 20-year-old forward revealed what was going through her mind during her crucial free throws, arguably the biggest of her young career.

South Carolina forward Chloe Kitts waves to fans after she cuts the net at Legacy Arena.Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

“I got the ball and I went to the line and I was just taking a deep breath,” said Kitts in a report from The Mirror US’ Tom Blow.

“I told myself that my coach wanted me to have the ball at the end of the game because she knew I could make my free throws, and I told myself that I’m really good at basketball and I made both of them.”

She added that Staley’s trust in her during a pressure-packed situation validated all her hard work. Kitts, who was named Regional MVP, previously missed three free throws before her victory-sealing moment for the top-seeded South Carolina.

Staley, for her part, touted Kitts’ growth, describing their conversations as “thought-provoking.”

“She is comfortable in her skin,” said the former NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player in the same report.

“That’s what I want for my players, to get to know who they are, don’t care about what anybody else thinks of them and just continue to move on.”

The Gamecocks will face either Texas or TCU in the Final Four.