SC makes Final Four

Chris Chiozza produced the first game-winning buzzer-beater of the tournament after sprinting to the 3-point line and letting fly a one-hander that hit nothing but net. It had all evaporated moments earlier Sunday at Madison Square Garden in a 77-70 East regional final loss to SC, the result of Florida simply getting a minor case of stage fright in the world’s most famous basketball arena.

Yet the Gamecocks will be facing another Final Four virgin (No. 1 seed Gonzaga).

Przemek Karnowski of the Gonzaga Bulldogs after defeating Xavier and advancing to the Final Four.

“I listen to Sinatra”.

The magic continued for SC (25-10) at Madison Square Garden Friday night, as it matched a school record for wins (25) in a 70-50 Sweet 16 victory over third-seeded Baylor (27-8). That was my thought process when I got home and broke that film down.

And it’s why the Gamecocks’ run is a big deal.

“I am so proud of him, we all are and most Kentuckians are very proud that SC beat Duke”, said Patti.

Caraviello is right in that deadlines are a pain, especially after already-long NCAA tournament games that go into overtime. “We made ill-advised decisions, didn’t value the ball really the whole game”. And South Carolina’s defense has been so fantastic that the Gamecocks are going to Phoenix despite ranking 105th in offensive efficiency. Wilson, who was a freshman in 2015, scored 10 points when FSU and SC faced each other in Greensboro.

The injury turned out to be only a hamstring, and Gray scored 19 points and had a team-high eight rebounds in 27 minutes in South Carolina’s 100-58 win Saturday over upstart Quinnipiac.

Florida connected on 7 of their 12 three-point attempts in the opening half and went into the break with a seven-point lead. At one point, five straight Florida baskets were 3s, powering the Gators from four points down to five ahead.

“We just have great chemistry, so it allows us to play off one another”, said Matt during the interview.

The Gamecocks did just that, coming up with a key defensive stop on the first possession of the second half. He didn’t miss a call, his demeanor was incredible, and now he’s heading these officials and mentoring them and educating them. “‘They’re playing with fire”.

In the second half, Leon was 0 for 4 from beyond the arc, KeVaughn Allen 0 for 5 and the rest of the team 0 for 5.

“We’re happy you did”, Semrau said with a grin. “He showed us how they were attacking us, and we stayed with it”. “Did they kind of run out of juice a little bit?” It was easier to say that last night than right now, but I don’t want to back off of that sentiment.

“He has worked hard to get where he is”, Patti said.

Martin: “First of all, a lot of respect to you. that’s a heck of a question. And sometimes that ball bounces your way, sometimes it does not”.

Thornwell, who scored 26 points, was named the regional MVP.

When the buzzer sounded, South Carolina’s Sindarius Thornwell, the SEC player of the year and the region’s most outstanding player, tossed the ball to the very top of the scoreboard at midcourt, a fitting end for the almost extinct power guard in this three-point era.

“Plays needed to be made down the stretch and I stepped up and made plays”, Thornwell said.

Freshman center Maik Kotsar, playing his best game at SC, capped a 6-0 run with a short jumper off a Thornwell pass on the break.

And then there is mighty North Carolina, which has now made more Final Four appearances, 20, than any other team after surviving Kentucky in a classic on Sunday. “We believed in ourselves from Day One”.

“I know what type of character he has”.

“I was about to cry myself”, Silva said. They hugged their coach. I wanted to cry. He pulled down 13 rebounds against Kansas, and seven of them came on the offensive end of the court. But is America really ready to fall in love with a team whose coach looks – at all times – like a man who just swallowed a fistful of red habañero peppers? “We’ve won a few games like that”.