Tag: Zia Cooke

South Carolina says yes ‘oui’ can in win over Notre Dame in Paris

The South Carolina Gamcocks and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish played the first-ever NCAA regular-season basketball game in Paris.

The South Carolina Gamecocks and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish played the first NCAA women’s basketball regular-season game in Europe. The Gamecocks walked away with the win, defeating Notre Dame, 100-71, in Paris, France.

“It was really a blank canvas,” said Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley, who posed in front of Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece Mona Lisa at the Louvre a few days before the game. “But the chemistry that they’re building is very special.”

South Carolina’s Kamilla Cardoso had 20 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks, and freshman MiLaysia Fulwiley had 17 points. Five Gamecocks finished in double figures. For the Fighting Irish, Hannah Hidalgo, in her collegiate debut, posted 31 points.

The game drew the attention of notable names in basketball, including Magic Johnson and Kevin Durant. Other notable players and former Gamecocks legends such as Aliyah Boston and Zia Cooke also tuned into the game.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1366]

Hawkeyes Final Four facts: Get to know the South Carolina Gamecocks

The Hawkeyes get their shot at South Carolina in the Final Four. Here is a breakdown of the Gamecocks’ season, top players, and coaching.

The stage is set. In their second-ever NCAA Final Four appearance, the Iowa Hawkeyes are tasked with dethroning reigning champions South Carolina.

That’s right folks, South Carolina. We are now in the big leagues facing the best of the best for a chance at the National Championship. The Gamecocks have dominated this March Madness, blowing out Norfolk State and Southern Florida before defeating tough opponents in UCLA and Maryland.

This is what Dawn Staley’s team has done all season. As the top team in the nation, they’ve dominated the teams that they should put into the dirt while constantly locking in to defeat the tougher opponents. For how tough their road to the Final Four has been, they haven’t faced a team soaring quite like the Hawkeyes yet.

Iowa took that massive loss to Maryland at the end of the season personally. After that 96-68 loss to the Terps, the Hawks have rattled off eight straight victories. They’ve seemingly hit that next level this postseason, set to prove that their second seed doesn’t mean a thing. They’re out to win the whole thing.

If star guard Caitlin Clark has her way, she will cut down the nets when it’s all said and done. The likely Player of the Year exploded in the Hawkeyes’ Elite Eight matchup against Louisville, with the first-ever 40-point triple-double in an NCAA Tournament game.

On the other side is the mighty undefeated South Carolina Gamecocks. Led by Dawn Staley and reigning Player of the Year Aliyah Boston, they aren’t keen on giving up their crown just yet. They want a repeat.

Ahead of possibly the biggest matchup in NCAA women’s basketball history, here is a look at South Carolina.