The South Carolina Gamecocks are 36-0, undefeated for an entire season behind one of the most incredible runs ever. Dawn Staley has built a powerhouse in its second superstar era — A'ja Wilson and now Aliyah Boston — and the Gamecocks are here to prove that going back to back is possible for a team not named UConn, Tennessee or USC.
Now they'll play maybe the toughest competition they've seen this year: a surging Caitlin Clark and Iowa.
Get to know South Carolina
The short: Dawn Staley's Gamecocks are tall, talented, defensive-minded and will soon take over the WNBA. Nobody in the country has found an answer for both Boston, the presumed No. 1 draft pick and reigning National Player of the Year, and her replacement off the bench, 6-foot-7 Kamila Cardoso. Add Brea Beal and Victaria Saxton's ever-present defense and Zia Cooke's shooting, and South Carolina has a super team.
Aliyah Boston is everywhere, doing everything: The 6-foot-5 center is a low-post genius with incredible footwork, a high motor, and impressive rim-protecting instincts. She really turned up the heat in the Elite Eight, scoring 22 points with 10 rebounds and five assists vs. Maryland.
Teams have come only kind of close: The Gamecocks have only won a game by single digit points five times this season, and Ole Miss even took them to overtime. Still, South Carolina's always found an answer. Experience and talent tend to do that.
The Gamecocks won big-time awards: For the second year in a row, Aliyah Boston is the Defensive Player of the Year, and Dawn Staley is Coach of the Year.
Watch South Carolina play
Final Four opponent: No. 2 Iowa
When to watch: Friday, March 31 at 9 pm ET on ESPN
Bet on South Carolina to cover the spread
What is a spread bet?: A bet on who will win or lose and by how much.
Here’s how the Gamecocks have performed so far in the tournament: They've won by 32 points, 31 points, 16 points, and 11 points in that order.
Advice: This bet is considered a tossup! Place this bet if you think South Carolina will hold Caitlin Clark in check and run up the score.
Bet on FanDuel here
Bet on South Carolina's moneyline
What is a moneyline bet?: A bet on who will win the game!
Here’s how the Gamecocks have performed this year: Well, they literally have not lost in more than a year so...
Advice: This bet is considered likely to happen. The minus (-) sign indicates that South Carolina is considered the favorite to win, which is why the payout is much lower. This bet isn't very rewarding.
Bet on FanDuel here
Bet on Iowa & South Carolina's over/under
What is an over/under bet?: A bet on the combined score of two teams.
The total scores of the Gamecocks’ tournament games have been: 112 points, 121 points, 102 points and 161 points.
Advice: This bet is considered a tossup. Place a bet on the over if you think South Carolina and Iowa's will let up on defense and have one of their highest scoring games yet. Note: South Carolina plays at a slower pace and has an elite defense, while Iowa plays high-tempo with a more lax defense. The Gamecocks played at Maryland's high-tempo speed in the Elite Eight, resulting in a high point total in the Elite Eight.
