South Carolina defense smothers Louisville in semifinal win
By PATRICK DONNELLY
Associated Press
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — South Carolina rode the nation’s third-ranked defense to an NCAA women’s semifinal victory over Louisville. The Gamecocks held Louisville to 13 points below their season average and limited leading scorer Hailey Van Lith to just nine points. It was the latest in a string of stingy defensive performances for South Carolina, which advanced to Sunday night’s championship game against UConn. Louisville isn’t the only team to buckle under South Carolina’s crushing defense. The Gamecocks finished the season rated third in the nation defensively, allowing just 50.5 points per game.