A Sweet 16 setting is all too familiar for Brenda Frese. 12 of them in the past two decades, you’d think the coach had cracked the code. But a stop two steps further has evaded her for 10 years now, and Dawn Staley’s squad ensured that yet again in Friday’s matchup. Or was it really just the Gamecocks at play? Spectators do not seem to think so.

Outlasted. Survived. That’s how Staley’s South Carolina got past the fourth-seeded Maryland. Translation? It wasn’t a good look for the reigning champions and a first seed. In fact, it was so bad that Frese’s squad led the game with 33-31 at the halftime. And then, a change in officiating halfway through the contest helped the Gamecocks with another go at Elite Eight while dumping the Terrapins with a close 67-71 loss. Anyone would be lost for words and so was Frese.

In her postgame presser, Brenda knew she shouldn’t go into it all, but in as many words, she made it clear she wasn’t happy with the second half calls. “I’ve continued to play South Carolina in the past, but it was a very physical game. We got to the free-throw line quite a bit in the first half and then all of the sudden it changed in the second half… Something changed. We just, for whatever reason, weren’t able to get to the free throw line and that’s a big piece of who we are.” And although the underdogs, they did put up a show this season.

Their 25-8 overall record was their best since 2022-23, when they last made it past the Sweet 16, interestingly losing again at the hands of Staley and Co. with 86-75. If you want a better assurance of what they were striving for, Staley had some words herself. “You’re not gonna play a team that doesn’t belong here that didn’t earn the right to be here. So, if there’s time on the clock, they’re gonna play until the end.” And in the game hours ago, the Terrapins did just that.

In a tightly contested matchup, Brenda Frese’s team gave South Carolina a run for their money. In 8 lead changes and 3 ties, neither was giving up. Until the buzzer for second half rang. And things changed.

The Terrapins shot 16 free throws in the first half to lead South Carolina at the break. But in the second half, they only shot two total free throws. In the third quarter, the two came from shooting fouls and zero free throws in the fourth. Starting forward Allie Kubek fouling out with 3:07 left in the game also gave USC the push they needed to close in the small gap, but that didn’t stop the Terrapins.

Maryland held down the defending champions through to the final second. With 25 seconds left, the score read 63-66 in favor of USC. Saylor Poffenbarger had hit a 3-pointer assisted by Sarah Te-Biasu to close the gap. But the very next second, Staley used the old strategy to shake confidence in your opponent– Call a timeout and break the momentum. And it worked. Fouls piled up, momentum saw breaks with 4 timeouts, and at one point, Maryland’s Shyanne Sellers turned over a ball, which could have been game-defining.

The buzzer sounded. Gamecocks had successfully managed the lead to wind up 71-67, and Maryland had lost yet another Sweet 16. This time, against a team that hadn’t been its best. Staley isn’t denying that herself. “Is it ugly? Yes,” she said in the post-game press conference. And Frese just could not believe what had just happened.

And things could’ve been worse for the Gamecocks before they punched another ticket to the Elite Eight for the 5th consecutive time. At least, that’s what the fans think!

Top Comment by Leon Bass

That’s why the game is played, stop whining, Maryland forced 18 turnovers, maybe they should have made them into all...more

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Fans fume believing the refs cut Dawn Staley and Co. slack

The reigning National champion coach was animatedly talking to the officials throughout the game. But as they lead into the Elite Eight to face Duke, Staley has only praises for the referees. In her postgame presser, she was asked about what looked like debates on the sidelines. Her response? “The officials have a hard job. They have a really hard job. I don’t have thick enough skin to do their job. The animation was probably more we having a jokingly conversation rather than a heated conversation.” But everyone saw the shift in the calls. And they are not thrilled.

One fan was clearly unhappy with the way the refs were officiating the game. They took to X to vent out their frustrations, saying, “Brenda Frese has to be so frustrated with the NCAA refs giving these calls to South Carolina.” Another fan joined in, expressing the same, “The refs are cheating for South Carolina. Maryland should be up by double digits right now.”

What’s interesting is that South Carolina went into the second half conceding 6 more fouls than Maryland. They had 11, while Maryland had just 5. But things shifted. The refs called Maryland for traveling a few times, but not South Carolina, bringing their total to 19 while the Gamecocks ended with 18.

This is what another fan said as well: “South Carolina is traveling every possession and it’s only called on Maryland. Maryland is going to the paint and not getting calls and South Carolina is taking jump shots.” Another agreed with, “They don’t Call S— on South Carolina.” 

Maryland could’ve easily been up by double digits, but that doesn’t have much to do with the refs. It’s more to do with their shooting. They went 4-13 from beyond the arc. When you’re hitting just 30% from three, it’s hard to build a big lead, especially against the defending champions whose work in the paint and over the glass is a signature.

Another fan was visibly frustrated and said, “bruh they tryna give south carolina so many chances.” While there’s some truth to that, Maryland was dominated in the paint. Dawn Staley’s side out-rebounded the Terps by 13, and that made all the difference. South Carolina’s hunger for those 50-50 chances played a key role in their win.

It’s easy to see why fans were upset with the officiating, but honestly, it has been the case of every game, officiating has been called out more often than not in the past few years, no matter who wins or loses. Hence, it truly just comes to the teams. Maybe if Maryland had shot better and fought harder for the boards, they could have pulled off the upset of the season. And they fought, better than expected. But it just wasn’t meant to be!