Maryland lost to the Gamecocks. They did. But let’s not act like South Carolina came in and dominated. This one was a dogfight. You had two teams averaging over 80 points per game, and, for the first five minutes, they scored 12 points combined.

Some folks in the crowd were probably squinting at the rims, wondering if the NCAA had messed up the measurements. It was back-and-forth, Maryland throwing punches, South Carolina absorbing them. And even though Dawn Staley’s squad pulled it out in the end, Brenda Frese isn’t hanging her head.

You know, the Gamecocks actually trailed 60-59 with 3:25 left. Yes, the same team that went undefeated last year. This isn’t the same steamrolling South Carolina. They had to claw for this one. With multiple lead changes, both championship coaches were on their toes.

via Imago

But when it mattered most, the Gamecocks, locked in, holding Maryland scoreless for three straight minutes. Then came Maryland’s final chance. Down four with 21 seconds left, they had the ball, but disaster struck. A botched handoff rolled out of bounds, and just like that, their shot at a major upset was gone.

But Frese is still quite proud of what they did here. “I think we gave a pretty good blueprint of how to beat South Carolina.” Can we argue? And now, the other seven teams in the Elite 8 might be grateful because the Terrapins just exposed a game plan to take down the defending champs.

Dawn Staley Throws South Carolina Under the Bus After Sweet 16 Escape as Raven Johnson Doubles Down

Well, that blueprint is all about playing tough from start to finish and exposing South Carolina’s lingering problems—those slow starts and offensive hiccups. For the second straight game, the Gamecocks trailed at halftime. That’s not something you usually say about a Dawn Staley team.

The second quarter was a mess. Six straight minutes without a field goal. Maryland flipped a 19-16 deficit into a 25-22 lead and held control the rest of the way. Chloe Kitts and MiLaysia Fulwiley were rolling early, scoring all 17 of South Carolina’s first-quarter points. But they didn’t score a single point in the second.

And the rest of the starters combined to shoot a brutal 1-for-13 from the field. As a team, South Carolina shot just 32 percent overall and 25 percent from three. The second half was a different story, though. 48 percent shooting and a lot more rhythm.

But the question lingers: If they go ice-cold like that again, will they get burned? And those 17 turnovers? They turned it into 18 points for Maryland. That’s gotta be cleaned up before Sunday’s showdown with Duke. Especially now that the teams know exactly where they lack.

Now, while the offense had its rough patches, the defense stepped up, holding Maryland to just 38 percent shooting after halftime. That’s what kept Gamecocks in the fight. But Staley knows they need to find a way to get their half-court offense going before the next round.

For the time being, she must be thanking her sophomore guard for taking over at the most perfect time.

Fulwiley gets hot after an earful from Dawn Staley

South Carolina was nearly sent packing, and if not for MiLaysia Fulwiley’s second-half takeover, we might be having a very different conversation. The Gamecocks needed every bit of her 23 points to escape with a win.

The first half was not her best. Staley kept her on the bench to start, and Fulwiley finished with just seven points on 3-of-9 shooting. Maryland had South Carolina rattled. But in the second half, Fulwiley flipped the switch. She dropped 16 points, showing off the kind of grit and skill that makes her a game-changer.

One moment in particular stood out—24 seconds left in the third, tied at 50. Fulwiley grabbed a rebound, sprinted up the court, hit a behind-the-back move, and nailed a fadeaway jumper. South Carolina never trailed again. It was the kind of shot that wins championships, and it’s exactly what Staley wants to see from her young star, who is already being labeled, ‘generational talent.’

After the game, Fulwiley made it clear, her teammates keep her confidence high. “They make sure I’m confident and knowing that I can go to the basket on anyone who’s guarding me,” she said. And when it comes to Staley’s coaching, she knows it’s tough love. “I had to understand that it’s either I do it or I don’t. I felt like I wanted to do it.”

USA Today via Reuters

Staley was all praises after the win. And yes, she admitted she got on Fulwiley a bit during the game. But that’s the standard at South Carolina. “It gets hot. Everything’s not spoken in a soft tone,” the head coach said. But the sophomore handled it, responded, and delivered.

Now, Fulwiley’s continued growth will help define South Carolina, both in this tournament and in the future. With senior guards set to graduate after this season, her time in the spotlight is just beginning.