South-Carolina
Illinois 21-17 South Carolina (Dec 31, 2024) Game Recap – ESPN
ORLANDO, Fla. — — Josh McCray scored his second touchdown of the game on a 9-yard run midway through the fourth quarter to give No. 21 Illinois the lead and the Illini held on to beat No. 14 South Carolina 21-17 in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl on Tuesday.
Illinois’ defense sealed the win by stopping South Carolina (9-4) at the 7-yard line with a little more than three minutes remaining. McCray sealed the victory and helped the Illini run out the clock with a 60-yard run on a third-and-two play from the 15-yard line as Illinois (10-3) closed out the fifth 10-win season in program history and its first since 2001.
“He never looks for outward excuses,” Illinois coach Bret Bielema said of McCray. “He just works hard and does a lot of really good things to make these days happen.”
McCray, named the game’s MVP, rushed for 114 yards on 13 carries and two touchdowns. Luke Altmeyer threw for 174 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
The teams exchanged the lead five times, and neither led by more than one score. Illinois took its final lead on McCray’s touchdown run with 7:29 remaining.
South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers completed 24 of 34 passes for 260 yards and a touchdown for the Gamecocks, who fell short of the fifth 10-win season in program history. He threw a 6-yard TD pass to Joshua Simon in the third quarter for his only score. They could not connect again in the fourth quarter, leading to the critical turnover on downs.
“Obviously, we want to win,” Sellers said. “Some things didn’t go our way tonight. We have to get back to work and focus on next season.”
Oscar Adaway III rushed for 69 yards on 14 carries, including a 36-yard TD run early in the fourth quarter that gave South Carolina a shortlived lead.
South Carolina coach Shane Beamer needed to be restrained from pursuing Illinois coach Bret Bielema during a stoppage in the third quarter after Bielema came toward South Carolina’s sideline with his arms extended, a signal to them that he was not happy with a signal given earlier in the game.
Beamer and Beielema confirmed the dispute was over a signal South Carolina’s kick returners gave on a third-quarter kickoff when a player gave the typical signal they would let the ball go over their head and not return the ball. But the Gamecocks not only fielded the kick, but tried a lateral play that ended with a tackle at the 25.
Beamer said he cleared the use of that signal with the Big 12 officiating crew before the game and that it was legal, as long as the returners did not wave their arms like a fair catch. Bielema agreed that returning the kick was not against the rules, but went against the spirit of using that signal to limit injuries on kickoff returns.
South Carolina had several missed chances that cost the team opportunities to take the lead.
In addition to the failed fourth down conversion late in the fourth quarter, the Gamecocks did not convert on a fourth down play from the 11 yard line in the second quarter when holder Kai Kroeger’s pass to Alex Huntley in the endzone fell incomplete. Kicker Alex Herrera also missed a field goal off the right upright at the end of the second quarter.
The Gamecocks went 2 for 4 in the red zone overall.
“The whole key to this game was finishing,” Beamer said. “We didn’t finish.”
Illinois and South Carolina looked to make program history by winning the 10th game of the season in the Citrus Bowl. Illinois’ experience with the junior Altmeyer under center won the day to hit that mark. But Illinois has one of the youngest roster in the power conferences. So does South Carolina. Sellers put on an impressive display, and the future looks bright for both teams in 2025.
South Carolina looks to build on its strong finish and six-game winning streak to close the regular season. The Gamecocks will be in Atlanta to face Virginia Tech on Aug. 31 in its opener.
Illinois will look to build on a strong showing this season and open its 2025 season on Aug. 30 against Western Illinois.
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The No. 57 Razorbacks move to 11-10 (2-9) on the season after picking up a win against No. 27 South Carolina 9-10 (2-9).
The Hogs won the doubles point. No. 39 Carolina Gomez and Anet Koskel defeated No. 9 Helena Buchwald and Lauren Friedman, 6-3. Jimena Gomez and Alexandra Panagiotidou took down Sara Borkop and Jane Dunyon, 6-1.
The Razorbacks stayed hot during singles. No. 39 Carolina Gomez defeated No. 56 Kaitlyn Carnicella 7(7)-6(1), 3-6, 6-3 to seal the win. Alexandra Panagiotidou took down Taylor Goetz, 6-3, 6-3. Jimena Gomez defeated Jane Dunyon, 7-5, 6-3. Brooke Schafer fell to No. 52 Helena Buchwald, 7(7)-6(3), 6-2.
The Hogs will be back in action on Friday in Colombia, MO when they take on Missouri at 11:30 a.m.
Results from the match will be available on the women’s tennis schedule page.
For the latest information on all things Arkansas Women’s Tennis, follow the Hogs on social media by liking us on Facebook (Arkansas Razorback Women’s Tennis) and following us on Twitter and Instagram (@RazorbackWTEN).
SACRAMENTO, CA — No. 3 TCU took down No. 10 Virginia in the Sweet 16, preventing South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley from coaching against her college team in the Elite Eight of the Women’s NCAA Tournament.
The No. 1 seeded Gamecocks (34-3) will play the No. 3 seeded Horned Frogs (32-5) on March 30 (9 p.m. ET, ESPN) in Golden 1 Center.
South Carolina beat No. 4 seed Oklahoma 94-68 in the Sweet 16 before TCU beat Virginia 79-69.
The only time these two teams met was in 2024 when South Carolina won 85-52.
Dawn Staley has only coached against TCU once
This will be somewhat of an unfamiliar matchup for Staley, who has only coached one game against TCU, and the 2024-25 roster was much different than what she’ll see on March 30.
Last year’s TCU team was powered by players like Hailey Van Lith and Sedona Prince. Now it’s Olivia Miles who is running the show.
Only one starter from last year’s team returned, and TCU added six transfer players.
Coach Mark Campbell is in his third season but has been to two of the last three NCAA Tournaments. Last year the Horned Frogs lost to Texas in the Elite Eight.
Olivia Miles is TCU’s star point guard
Olivia Miles transferred to TCU from Notre Dame in a shocking offseason move after Miles was projected as a top-5 WNBA draft pick.
The senior guard is averaging 19.4 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.6 assists, coming off 28 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists in the Sweet 16.
She’s fifth in the nation in assists, 42nd in double-doubles with 12 total, and leads the nation in triple doubles with six.
Miles wasn’t healthy and didn’t play for Notre Dame against South Carolina in the 2023-24 season opener, so this is Staley’s first time scouting against one of the nation’s top ball handlers.
Marta Suarez, Clara Silva vs Joyce Edwards, Madina Okot
After fighting through Oklahoma’s post defense, South Carolina’s post players have a new challenge in TCU’s Marta Suarez. The 6-foot-3 Suarez is averaging 16.8 points and 7.4 rebounds, coming off 33 points and 10 rebounds in Sweet 16.
She’s tied with Miles with 12 double-doubles.
Clara Silva, 6-foot-7 center, is in her first season with TCU after one with Kentucky last year. Silva won’t be impacted by the SEC’s physicality given her freshman year experience and is averaging 9.3 points and 7.4 rebounds for TCU.
She didn’t score against South Carolina last year at Kentucky but had two assists and a steal in seven minutes of action.
TCU leads Big 12 in points allowed, rebounds and point differential
The Horned Frogs have the top defense in the Big 12, allowing an average of 55.9 points per game. They are also first in rebounds with 41.7 per game and in point differential at +21.4.
South Carolina vs TCU prediction in Elite Eight
South Carolina 84, TCU 72: This could be the closest game for South Carolina this tournament and will come down to execution. But despite almost three 100-point games, the Gamecocks say they still have room to grow with their best basketball left to play.
Raven Johnson vs Olivia Miles will be the main guard matchup, with Clara Silva vs Madina Okot at the center spot and Marta Suarez vs Joyce Edwards. So expect players like Tessa Johnson or Ta’Niya Latson to try to step up for Staley.
Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at LKesin@usatodayco.com. Follow her on X@Lulukesin and Bluesky@bylulukesin.bsky.social
South-Carolina
Oklahoma vs. South Carolina box score: Full stats from 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament game
Oklahoma vs. South Carolina box score: Full stats from 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament game originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament continues with Sweet 16 action Saturday as No. 1 South Carolina and No. 4 Oklahoma battle for a spot in the Elite Eight.
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Another year, another Sweet 16 appearance for Dawn Staley’s Gamecocks, who are a serious championship contender. They’ll face the Sooners in a SEC conference matchup. The game between both squads resulted in one of South Carolina’s three losses this season.
Oklahoma won the overtime thriller 94-82 in Norman on January 23.
Here is a look at the box score from Saturday’s Sweet 16 Regional 4 in Sacramento.
Oklahoma vs. South Carolina March Madness box score
Oklahoma stats
|
NO |
Name |
POS |
MIN |
FGM-A |
3PM-A |
FTM-A |
OREB |
REB |
AST |
ST |
BLK |
TO |
PF |
PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
6 |
Sahara Williams |
F |
24 |
2-8 |
0-0 |
1-1 |
2 |
5 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
5 |
|
4 |
Caya Smith |
F |
7 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
3 |
Zya Vann |
G |
22 |
2-7 |
1-3 |
1-2 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
6 |
|
2 |
Aaliyah Chavez |
G |
30 |
7-18 |
3-9 |
2-2 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
19 |
|
21 |
Brooklyn Stewart |
F |
15 |
0-2 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
2 |
5 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
|
12 |
Payton Verhulst |
G |
29 |
4-11 |
2-4 |
0-0 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
10 |
|
22 |
Keziah Lofton |
G |
10 |
2-3 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
|
15 |
Raegan Beers |
C |
27 |
4-8 |
0-1 |
2-6 |
2 |
6 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
10 |
|
Total |
21-57 |
6-17 |
6-11 |
13 |
31 |
9 |
5 |
9 |
12 |
7 |
54 |
|||
|
36.8% |
35.3% |
54.5% |
||||||||||||
South Carolina stats
|
NO |
Name |
POS |
MIN |
FGM-A |
3PM-A |
FTM-A |
OREB |
REB |
AST |
ST |
BLK |
TO |
PF |
PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
8 |
Joyce Edwards |
F |
28 |
3-10 |
0-0 |
2-2 |
2 |
8 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
8 |
|
1 |
Maddy McDaniel |
G |
13 |
0-3 |
0-1 |
0-0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
30 |
Maryam Dauda |
F |
3 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
31 |
Alicia Tournebize |
F |
8 |
1-4 |
0-1 |
0-0 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
3 |
2 |
|
5 |
Tessa Johnson |
G |
21 |
6-8 |
2-2 |
0-0 |
1 |
4 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
14 |
|
Ta’Niya Latson |
G |
26 |
6-10 |
3-3 |
6-6 |
0 |
1 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
1 |
21 |
|
|
11 |
Madina Okot |
C |
19 |
3-6 |
1-1 |
0-0 |
5 |
11 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
7 |
|
44 |
Agot Makeer |
G |
21 |
3-8 |
1-2 |
1-1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
8 |
|
25 |
Raven Johnson |
G |
25 |
8-11 |
2-3 |
0-0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
18 |
|
Total |
30-60 |
9-13 |
9-9 |
12 |
35 |
18 |
7 |
5 |
8 |
12 |
78 |
|||
|
50.0% |
69.2% |
100.0% |
||||||||||||
As for the NCAA tournament, South Carolina has dominated so far, winning by 69 points against Southern before blowing out the USC Trojans by 40 in the Round of 32.
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Oklahoma has made a nice run in this year’s tournament as a No. 4 seed, beating Idaho by 30 before knocking off No. 5 Michigan State by six in the second round.
These two teams will give each other fits. The real question could be which team will final possession and will they capilitize?
What channel is Oklahoma vs. South Carolina on today?
Oklahoma vs. South Carolina How to Watch
Date: Saturday, March 28
Time: 5 p.m. ET
Golden 1 Center- Saramento, California
TV: ESPN (Available on FuboTV)
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