For the first time since 2002, South Carolina is going to the Elite Eight. The top-seeded Gamecocks defeated fourth-seeded North Carolina 67-65 in the Sweet 16 in Greensboro, North Carolina.
With the game on the line, South Carolina turned to Tiffany Mitchell, the Gamecocks' best player, and she delivered. Mitchell got to the basket, and her layup with 3.5 seconds won the game.
South Carolina trailed 8-0 in the opening minutes, but head coach Dawn Staley's team would regather itself and string together an impressive defensive performance to knock off the Tar Heels.
North Carolina led 61-58 with 3:06 remaining, but the Gamecocks ended the game on a 9-4 run to earn its biggest victory of the season.
Trailing 63-60, South Carolina tied the game on a three-pointer by senior guard Olivia Gaines with just over one minute left in the game.
North Carolina shot just 37 percent as a team, while South Carolina overcame offensive struggles of its own with aggressiveness and strong play by sophomore center Alaina Coates.
Coates led South Carolina with 18 points, while grabbing 10 rebounds.
Junior guard Mitchell also finished with 18 points.
Junior guard Tina Roy came up with 12 key points off the bench, as well.
The victory comes nearly one year after North Carolina defeated South Carolina in the Sweet 16 of the 2014 NCAA tournament.
Stay tuned for more coverage this evening.
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