No. 24 North Carolina vs No. 1 South Carolina | 2023 ACC/SEC Challenge | 11.30.23

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) - Bree Hall scored 15 points and top-ranked South Carolina rallied from 11 down in the second quarter to push past No. 24 North Carolina 65-58 in Thursday night’s ACC/SEC Challenge.
Te-Hina Paopao added 14 points for the Gamecocks (6-0), who ended up facing their toughest challenge in an early season slate of high-scoring blowouts - including against two ranked teams. South Carolina came in ranked second nationally in scoring offense at 100.4 points and leading the country with an average victory margin of 51.6 points.
But the Gamecocks ended up in a fight to the final seconds with the Tar Heels (5-3), who got off to a quick start and then stayed within reach even after South Carolina pushed ahead midway through the third.
Paopao hit three second-half 3-pointers, while Hall added a huge one from the left wing with 2:08 left that pushed the Gamecocks to their biggest lead at 60-52. South Carolina also got four straight free throws from Chloe Kitts and Ashlyn Watkins in the final 25 seconds to stay in control.
That would ultimately help them hang on despite shooting a season-low 39% and battling early turnover problems.
Deja Kelly scored 20 points for the Tar Heels, while Alyssa Ustby added 18 points and 12 rebounds to largely carry UNC’s offense.
Notables
The Gamecocks shot their best from behind the arc so far this season, finishing 6-for-11 (54.5%) with newcomer Te-Hina Paopao and Bree Hall accounting for three each.
After facing a deficit of 11 in the first quarter, South Carolina battled back outscoring the Tar Heels 16-10 in the second to bring things within three at the break.
The Gamecocks came out of the half with a 7-0 run to put themselves on top 41-37, outscoring North Carolina 21-12 in the third quarter.
Breezy Ball: Hall had a standout night on both sides of the ball, finishing with a block and a team-high 15 points (her most this season). Hall threw down a key three in the fourth quarter with two minutes left to give the Gamecocks their biggest lead of the game at eight.
Te-Hina Paopao ended with her fifth consecutive game in double digits, putting up 14 points with nine coming from three 3s in the second half to give South Carolina the lead. She also handed out a team-high four assists.
Kamilla Cardoso was dominant once again on the glass, grabbing 16 of the team’s 39 rebounds to tie her career high.

[@Tyana-g6x]

This was SC first true road test. They are a young team and needed to experience that hostile environment.

[@AroundTheWayGirl88]

Couldn't agree more!

[@rgractor]

27:52 Cardoso blocked that woman’s whole life on that play!!!

[@yourshyness32]

Killa K!

[@kozmiczian]

What a great win! Ist half was the worst played, so far, but they reclaimed momentum in the 2nd, and fought to win. Shows several weaknesses in offence, but again, defence won the game and Pao pao delivered the lazer 3's.

[@frankiek2269]

Watched this game. NC had it until the refs whistled SC back into it. More and more, I think all sports that make money are fixed.

[@yourshyness32]

Way to tough it out Lady Gamecocks! #GamecockNation

[@chaossector99]

NC tried to attack the post to draw fouls, but SC did a good job of playing solid defense. NC needs a few more perimeter shooters to open up the floor. Relying on one perimeter shooter allowed SC to clog the post.

[@rarerock5020]

I f.u.c.ks with number 21 free-throw style..

[@yourshyness32]

Chloe Kitts, yea I'm trying to think of what NBA player do that when they shoot free throws. I think Klay Thompson from GSW.

[@KelzKelz]

She one of the best mid rangers on the team. She need to shoot that 15 footer more.

[@rarerock5020]

@KelzKelz yea she got game.

[@JordanDiddy]

Paopao is a lethal 3-point shooter but tremendously slow on defense.

[@WO2411]

Deja Kelly Aura 🔥

[@QazPlm10]

Curious if they’ll try to keep playing through cardosa because she’s not really a dominant post more like a offensive rebound put back kinda post.

[@audriwilliams7943]

I think they should continue to play through only because she draws so much attention and is good at passing out of the post. No team would be crazy enough to give her space close to the basket. Kitts is a threat from the elbow in (3s occasionally) so they clear space for each other

[@anthonytaylor7928]

She definitely needs to learn post moves or fakes or something

[@KelzKelz]

They going to that post, whether it's Cardoso or Watkins.

[@danielpires8940]

She is a dominant post, she was getting over the Flu. Also, an "offensive rebound put-back post" is the same as a dominant post. Mix that with a shot blocker, and then you have a first-round draft pick. Cardoso plays better than Boston did when she was there. It was Cardoso and Cook who were the backbone of the team, not Boston. So stop it with my Brasilian sister. She's a beast under that basket. She's also human, she gets sick just like you do.

[@anthonytaylor7928]

@@danielpires8940 aw stop nobody doubting that she can't Play but she definitely needs to learn some post footwork moves u see what North Carolina did to neutralize those lobs over the top my personal opinion I think they should throw bounce passes down low at times all she has to do is a simple ball or shot fake she will either score or draw a foul instead of just forcing it im saying this as a fan of hers but the way the wnba is selfish she may get drafted but I don't know they cut high draft picks in the mismanaged wnba

[@MREARL62]

Beautiful work good game

[@AroundTheWayGirl88]

Bree Hall versus EVERYBODY!!!!

[@joshg7136]

Without Cardoso, SC would have got beaten here. She just sits in the paint ready to pick up anyone in help defense, and NC had no answers for that other than just shoot perimeter shots that didn’t go down frequently enough. SC is in real trouble if somebody figures out how to beat that defense or shoots better.

[@2thousand336]

Well that's the thing, nobody is gonna beat that defense. They definitely won this game on the backs of their defense. They got the post locked down. All they need to do is defend the perimeter and limit turnovers. They will be very difficult to beat.

[@kenichitamagusuku3194]

Have you heard of Ashlyn Watkins? She is only #5 in the nation in blocks, Cardoso is #2 in the nation so there’s you answer and Fulwiley is 131, Ustby has 1.2 blocks average and 155th in the nation, Carolina has 3 three ladies ahead of your best blocker and South Carolina has played 3 ranked teams to tar heals 2 and played 8 teams to gamecocks 6. Is that enough or you want to go more into the stats?

[@kenichitamagusuku3194]

⁠@@2thousand336true however they had bad game shooting because North Carolina’s defense played way above their heads and Gamecocks had 39.3% night and had averaged 51.3 %. North Carolina played well that game but the 3rd quarter/period did them in.

[@joshg7136]

@kenichitamagusuku3194 NC is not my team, LSU is. I'm just observing what I saw was the deal breaker in this game. I'm not as concerned with Watkins, tbf. She doesn't have the height to be as effective at controlling the paint as Cardoso.

[@danielpires8940]

You can say that about any team, without Caitlin Clark Iowa would have lost its last game, without Betts UCLA would have lost its last game, I can on and on. Cardoso was getting over the flu, if u pay attention to her face, you can see that she was sick, and still played like the All American, 1st round draft pick, Brasilian superstar that she is. NC had a good game plan, they were cross-town rivals and NC was playing at home, they always played each other tough. NC lost because SC defense wore them down. The biggest test will come the day SC meets LSU.

[@oscarhamtig9785]

The Gamecocks

[@yourshyness32]

#GamecockNation

[@macmac4657]

No Milaysia Fulwiley tho

[@sherrodjoyce7262]

Coach dawn will not pander to the fanfare of the freshman phenom. Ultimately, dawn is protecting her program. She doesn’t want one player out shining a prominent basketball program of South Carolina. Milaysia still has to learn how to be a point guard with in coach dawn philosophies. Milaysia leans on her talent so much that it blinds her to be team oriented.

[@anthonytaylor7928]

​@@sherrodjoyce7262I'm a huge fan of South Carolina and I think dawn is a master of adjustments first of all ur comment is dumb and misinformed raven is the pg and fulwiley been coming in playing the two guard shes actually interchangeable to the point also but did u forget Boston cooke and one other player started as freshmans cooke whos from my hometown was flashy too so I don't think it's what ur talking about shes had a few ups and downs during this Early season but I don't think it's about out shining the other players it's got to be about something else

[@GR-ps4dt]

Staley said Fulwiley gave up 2 easy baskets and has to learn. Staley expects Fulwiley to get more time against Duke but she’ll need to play better. One thing about Staley that I love is she gives extended minutes to those who deserve it.

[@frankiek2269]

​@@GR-ps4dtThat's BS and you know it. Aaliyah Boston missed two very important game deciding shots and didn't sit her. Both right at the rim. The shots nobody misses. One vs UConn and the other vs Stanford. So, if you want to believe Staley's BS reasoning, go ahead, but I'm going to use my brain and decide she's lying.

[@raiderguy104]

​​@@frankiek2269I believe what you are trying to do is stir the pot. I love Malaysia Fuwiley but she has to learn how to play defense. Defense is Dawn Staley's bread and butter, you probably don't know that because you are not a fan of the Gamecocks women's basketball team. Faigen is a junior and her defense sucks, that's one reason why she doesn't get that much playing time. Let me say this one more time so you nimrods can understand, Dawn will not play you if you can't defend. Jesus fricken Christ.

[@mlc6468]

I think this game would have been less stressful if Milaysia was in this game all the way through. I noticed that the team avoided passing it to her. Something is amiss 🤔 What did she do to deserve the bench?

[@apollozx2932]

She couldnt keep up on defense gave up several 3 pt shots

[@yourshyness32]

Experience, she wasn't in long. Also, Coach said she got beat a few times on defense. Checkout the post game interview.

[@danielpires8940]

This NC team was a bigger more experienced team, and she tends to ball hog at times, and as a Freshman doesn't get up and down the court against more experienced players, Just pay attention to her in off-ball situations. This was a tight game, you want to play your more experienced players. There is no room for a freshman to be learning on the job. She'll be ok, she has another 30 games to play and 3 yrs after that.

[@traceytray23]

bingo! @@danielpires8940

[@AroundTheWayGirl88]

Experience. She got beat on defense and she wasn't reading the defense to know when and when not to take the outside shot. Court awareness.

[@michaelt8161]

deja kelly really that one*

[@kenichitamagusuku3194]

Well at least the ladies showed up for the test and past, unlike you know who, the entitled one who refuses to go to class and no show at her games as well.

[@danielpires8940]

Resse has earned everything she has achieved, she is not entitled at all. Also, there is no evidence that she refuses to go to class, and her not showing up at games, most likely was a coach's decision, and it's her business as to why she was benched. Poole was benched as well, it could have been a situation where she and Poole got into an incident. Speculation can take us in alot of directions, better to just mind our own business and welcome her back. These are still college students and young adults.

[@aboghepaubamarilyn6493]

Trop de roll players ....Cardoso a été bien bousculée et toutes ces lacunes ont été révélées (pas de tirs à mis distance,pas de jeu dos ou face à l'anneau, elle ne saute pas et s'appuie trop sur sa taille...)coach faite s'il vous plaît jouer tout le monde au risque d'être comme l'an dernier fatiguées au final four.sanaya rivers brille en ce moment (elle avait complètement perdue son jeu), ne tuée pas aussi malaysia et ashlyn s'il vous plaît....face UCLA , USC et NC state se sera chaud...

[@danielpires8940]

La Malaisie et Ashlyn sont de petites joueuses, c'est pourquoi l'entraîneur ne les a pas affrontées dans ce match contre une équipe plus grande et plus expérimentée. Cardoso va se reposer, elle était malade dans ce match. UCLA et les autres équipes auront du mal contre SC parce que SC a trop d’armes. SC a perdu l'année dernière parce que Brea Beal ne peut pas tirer à l'extérieur.

[@KelzKelz]

​@@danielpires8940Malaysia 5'10", Watkins 6'3" and dunks regularly in practice and once in a game. Watkins was in foul trouble, Malaysia missed a few assignments defensively.

[@danielpires8940]

@@KelzKelz : A dunk is just another 2 pts, no one cares about her dunking. Especially if she looks like a dude, not attractive like a Candace Parker. Also one needs to be benched until you can the learn the system. Sidelines is the best place to do that. Hopefully she can improve by the time it’s SC v LSU. Biggest game of the season. Perhaps u can message her with a few pointers, since u seem to know a lot, the advice may be appreciated.

[@KelzKelz]

@@danielpires8940 I mentioned her dunking because you called her small. She knows the system and she play just as much as anybody else. It will be a game or two this year when Ashlyn is the better option than Cardoso.

[@danielpires8940]

@@KelzKelz: you gotta be out of your mind, for real. Over the summer Cardoso was up against most of the top 10 women in US College Basketball, playing for team Brasil, and she stopped each of the top post players as team Brasil blew out Team USA twice, Cardoso may go on to be a Hall of Famer, as she is virtually unstoppable down low, double & triple-teamed. Her international play experience makes her a clear #1 or #2 first-round draft pick. Ashlyn will be lucky to get picked in the 2nd round. If Cardoso had a guard like Caitlin Clark to properly pass the ball to her, she'd lead in scoring and rebounds. SC will easily go 39-0