COLUMBIA, S.C. — Joyce Edwards had 23 factors and 10 rebounds, Madina Okot added her twenty second double-double this season with 15 factors and 15 rebounds and top-seeded South Carolina superior to its twelfth straight Candy 16 with a 101-61 victory over No. 9 seed Southern California within the girls’s NCAA Event on Monday evening.

The Gamecocks (33-3) opened with a 13-0 run, have been forward 51-21 at halftime and cruised to their 18th straight NCAA win at dwelling. They’re going to get a rematch on the Sacramento 4 regional after they face fourth-seeded Oklahoma, one in every of two groups to defeat South Carolina this season.

Gamecocks coach Daybreak Staley believes her group has discovered its resolve since dropping the SEC Event championship to Texas two weeks in the past.

“I believe we’re beginning to join,” Staley mentioned. “I do suppose the thrill of enjoying within the NCAA Event has lifted them to play related basketball. They know the stakes are excessive, it takes a win to advance and it is bringing out the extremely competitiveness in them.”

South Carolina ran previous USC, which had superior to the Elite Eight the previous two seasons led by the famous person JuJu Watkins, who tore her ACL in final yr’s NCAA Event. This time, all Watkins might do was watch from her seat on the bench as her teammates had no solutions for the Gamecocks.

Okot, the 6-foot-6 Mississippi State switch, had 10 factors and 11 rebounds earlier than halftime whereas fifth-year level guard Raven Johnson, enjoying her remaining recreation at Colonial Life Enviornment, reached 1,000 profession factors within the opening half.

Freshman Agot Makeeer, amongst six South Carolina gamers in double figures, had 15 factors and 4 of her group’s 17 steals. She and Johnson shared prime defensive accountability on USC main scorer Jazzy Davidson, who 16 factors however was held to 5 baskets in 15 makes an attempt.

Davidson, who had 31 factors in her group’s opening-round 71-67 OT win over Clemson on Saturday.

“It’s actually particular and I believe it may be thrilling going ahead,” Makeer mentioned. “I am taking it in proper now and I am excited to go ahead” within the match.

South Carolina’s protection locked down exhausting on the Trojans, forcing a season excessive 27 turnovers.

Londynn Jones led USC with 20 factors.

The Trojans misplaced for fifth time of their previous six video games with this being the most important margin of defeat of their NCAA Event historical past, surpassing an 85-51 loss to Duke within the second spherical in 2006.

USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb was disillusioned along with her group’s play throughout a lot of the primary half.

“You realize, you possibly can lose and you can’t essentially be pretty much as good as a group, however I believed we have been conceding some issues,” she mentioned. “You needn’t throw the ball to the opposite group.”

Each transfer Raven Johnson made was cheered by the followers who’ve crammed Colonial Life Enviornment throughout her 5 seasons. Johnson performed her a hundred and fiftieth recreation at South Carolina the place the group has gone 142-8 in that stretch.

Johnson took a final, lengthy stroll across the court docket with Staley main the group in chants of “Raven, Raven.”

Johnson appreciated the reward, however is targeted on what’s subsequent for the Gamecocks.

“I am nervous about successful a nationwide championship,” Johnson mentioned. “That is the principle purpose, so, yeah, no matter comes with it, comes with it.”

South Carolina will face Oklahoma, one in every of two groups it misplaced to this season (Texas beat the Gamecocks twice), in Sacramento on Saturday.

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AP March Insanity bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and protection: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness