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CLEVELAND — South Carolina is going back to the national championship.

The top-ranked and undefeated Gamecocks defeated third-seeded NC State 78-59 in the first Final Four game Friday night. The win sends South Carolina back to the national championship for the second time in three years, after winning it all in 2022.

The Gamecocks were led by star post player Kamilla Cardoso, who had 22 points and 11 rebounds despite missing the last 1:39 of the first half with an apparent leg injury.

“You play to your strengths, Kamilla is a strength of ours,” South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said. “She played with a desire to win. She asked for the ball a couple times as well.”

The Gamecocks led by five before Cardoso went down, but that lead was cut to just one point at halftime.

“I knew she was going to be okay,” South Carolina forward Ashlyn Watkins said. “Kamilla is a warrior. She’s not going to let an injury like that affect her. She’s going to push and be ready for Sunday.”

Cardoso returned after halftime and South Carolina took control of the game right away, jumping out to a 10-1 run in the third quarter. The Gamecocks outscored NC State 29-6 in the third quarter to break the game open.

“Coach told us that was a six-point quarter for them,” South Carolina guard Te-Hina Paopao, who finished with 10 points and six assists, said. “We were just like shocked because it didn’t feel like that. It felt like we were just out there being locked in on offense and defense. And we just played the game we know how to play.

“At some points we don’t know what’s going on. We just know we’re having fun. And we just love being out there with each other.”

NC State reached the Final Four on the back of its stellar guard play led by the duo of Aziaha James and Saniya Rivers. They combined for 157 points in the previous four games, but had just 25 Friday. James had 20 points on 6-of-17 shooting. Rivers struggled, finishing with just five points.

Watkins played a big part in South Carolina’s ability to limit the NC State guards, and offense overall. She had two blocks in the game and while South Carolina held the Wolfpack to just 32 percent shooting, Watkins dominated the glass.

She had 20 rebounds, a season high, and became the fifth player to record 20 rebounds in a women’s Final Four game and the first in South Carolina history.

While Cardoso is often the focal point for South Carolina, Staley knew Watkins was going to be the difference Friday.

“For her to come through for us was big,” Staley said. “We don’t win the game without her contributions. … We are very fortunate that she plays for us.”

South Carolina will await the winner of one-seed Iowa and third-seed UConn. If the Gamecocks play UConn it will be a rematch of the teams’ Feb. 11 matchup, which South Carolina won 83-65. If Iowa wins, the Gamecocks will have a shot at revenge after losing to Iowa in the Final Four last year 77-73.

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(Photo: Gregory Shamus / Getty Images)