A text from teammate Bree Hall on Thursday night helped quell some of Fulwiley’s nerves. Hall, one of South Carolina’s senior leaders, wrote to Fulwiley that she believed in the sophomore guard, that she had Fulwiley’s back. Hall told her: “Go out there and play as hard as you can, and we’re gonna get it done.”
The message sounds simple, but there’s no need to overcomplicate things in the Final Four. Fulwiley felt calm Friday night against the Longhorns. After South Carolina topped the Longhorns 74-57, she can now rest easy.
“I’m gonna finally be able to sleep,” Fulwiley said.
With the win, the Gamecocks are back on the precipice of history. A victory over UConn on Sunday would make the Gamecocks the first repeat champions since the Huskies in 2016. It would make South Carolina a champion for the third time in four years. It would move coach Dawn Staley into a tie for third for most titles ever for a coach, and further cement Staley’s Gamecocks as the preeminent program in the sport.
Vibes ➡️ HIGH pic.twitter.com/kYqWkadl8F
— South Carolina Women’s Basketball (@GamecockWBB) April 5, 2025
But before any more history comes to fruition, Staley had to first figure out how to beat Texas for the third time in four meetings this season. To do so, she cycled through her roster, with nine players getting at least 15 minutes, finding Gamecock after Gamecock playing with freedom.
South Carolina eked out victories in the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight, but it looked more like itself while beating Texas. The Gamecocks played like a dominant power in the sport, with a well-coached roster composed of five-star talent.
There was balance and ball movement. South Carolina had 17 assists on 29 field goals. There were spirited bench celebrations and joyous hugs, especially after Fulwiley dribbled out the final seconds of the victory.
South Carolina had contributions from its young players — freshman Joyce Edwards led the way with 13 points, 11 rebounds and six assists. Its upperclassmen were reliable, too. Senior guard Te-Hina Paopao scored a game-high 14 points. Hall contributed 11 rebounds in 24 minutes.
“I felt like there was a lot of pressure on us to get back to where we are, and I just told my team that we gotta relax, believe and remind people who we are,” Hall said.
South Carolina’s victory was less a subtle reminder of the identity they’ve forged in winning two of the last three championships and more of an emphatic statement.
One victory doesn’t fully scrub memories of their struggles at the Birmingham Regional, but it does put the Gamecocks 40 minutes away from making difficult victories just blips on a path to a historic title.
Though the result was convincing, the Gamecocks’ opening three minutes left much to be desired. They trailed 10-2 with Texas star Madison Booker sinking both of her opening shots.
But South Carolina didn’t rattle. ...
