The first of the two Final Four games in the women’s division of college basketball is underway. The 2022 national champions South Carolina are facing the N0.3 seed NC State at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse Friday night. However, injury scares loom over the Gamecocks’ locker room as their leading scorer Kamilla Cardoso left the court on the brink of half-time.

With the game at 30-25 in favor of South Carolina, the senior guard made an attempt for a layup to further extend the lead. Unfortunately, her left ankle got dragged by the foot of NC State’s River Baldwin and she fell hard on her right knee. Following this, the Gamecocks’ medical personnel rushed towards the court to evaluate the situation. Soon after, the crowd saw the 22-year-old making her way into the dressing room.

Fans became anxious as Cardoso’s status would heavily determine the outcome of the game. The fans breathed a sigh of relief when the 6 ft 7 in center made her way back to the court after half-time. Wearing a black compression sleeve on her leg, she powered a strong third quarter for the Gamecocks. Consequently, this led to a stunning 37th consecutive victory for South Carolina, as they will now play their third national championship game.

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Moreover, the night resulted in Cardoso’s 15th double-double of the season.

Kamilla Cardoso leads the way for South Carolina

Despite sitting out the entire fourth quarter, the explosive No. 10 did the job for Dawn Staley’s Gamecocks. In the 23 minutes that she spent on the hardwood, Cardoso grabbed 22 points along with 11 rebounds. In addition to this, she was 10 of 12 while shooting from the field and converted both her free throws. She had an impactful night on the defensive front as well with her 2 blocks. As a result, her performance played its part in the 78-59 victory for the Gamecocks.

The invincible South Carolina is on the verge of repeating its 2022 heroics. Being the only undefeated team in the competition, Dawn Staley sure will surely fancy her chances to secure the most important win of her campaign next. Come what may, they will be in for a tough night regardless of who their opponents might be. We will have to wait for the other Final Four game to be over between Iowa and UConn to find out their national championship game opponents.

Read More- Saving Dawn Staley and South Carolina’s Unbeaten Streak, Kamilla Cardoso Reflects on Her First 3-Pointer

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