ELITE 8: Gamecocks survive clash with nemesis North Carolina

There’s Tiffany Mitchell.

South Carolina’s two-time SEC Player of the Year had been getting her points but had not been playing well. It was a disturbing trend – Mitchell could be a superstar through a 30-game regular season, but the postseason treated her like an old shoe.

There wasn’t a better time for her to remember her game.

Mitchell’s baseline-driving layup gave the top-seeded Gamecocks a 67-65 lead with 5 seconds to play Friday, and it held up as North Carolina’s attempt to save its season sailed wide. USC (33-2) beat the fourth-seeded Tar Heels, exorcising the ghosts of last season, when UNC ended the Gamecocks’ season a game short of the Elite Eight.

“It was a great game by both teams,” coach Dawn Staley said. “It’s a shame that someone had to lose the game, but I’m glad it’s not us.”

It’s the second appearance in the round of eight for USC, the first since 2002 and the first under Staley. The Gamecocks will play at noon on Sunday against Arizona State or Florida State; a win would send them to their first Final Four.

When Jamie Cherry’s attempt at a game-winner fell well short, the Gamecocks dog-piled at midcourt – as much in jubilation as it was relief. The Tar Heels (26-9) gave USC everything they had, playing physical, running past the Gamecocks for transition buckets and constantly attacking late in the game. USC seemed unprepared for how fast the Heels could strike, and combined with Jessica Washington’s 3-pointers, USC trailed 63-60 with 2:45 to go.

The Gamecocks were cooked – tired, out of rhythm and with an injury to Alaina Coates taking away from what was a dominant performance. But they still had time.

A flurry of missed shots by each team was stopped by USC senior Olivia Gaines, a defensive specialist who was a lights-out scorer in junior college but who had been the Gamecocks’ best stopper the past two seasons. Gaines was fouled and missed the front end of a 1-and-1, but the diminutive guard slipped into the lane and grabbed the rebound.

Re-setting, Mitchell threw to Khadijah Sessions, who had prepared a year for this moment. Here was a chance to sink a 3-pointer and erase a sour memory. Instead, she passed to Gaines in the corner.

Gaines immediately rose and shot a ball that was ugly from liftoff. It edged the backboard, slammed into the rim – and bounced beautifully through the net.

“I never shot a 3 for that moment, but I was just ready when my number was called, like always,” Gaines said. “It may have been one of the biggest shots of my career.”

Washington’s 3 wouldn’t go, and Coates rebounded, where she was elbowed in the back and sent to the line. Perfect in 10 attempts, Coates swished her final two free throws to help USC take a 65-63 lead.

Washington drove the right side as Sessions backed away, the layup tying the game. Staley called timeout with 22 seconds to play.

There was one option. Forget her past two games (7-of-18, 21 points, six turnovers). Forget her tournament history (specifically 4-of-14 for 11 points and three turnovers against UNC last year).

“Any time that the game is on the line, Tiffany Mitchell will be around the ball,” Staley said. “We drew up a play, for her to put the ball in her hands, to put the S on her chest and be our superwoman.”

Superwoman saved the day.

Mitchell drove from the right, finding an open lane as she bounced into the paint. Seeing the Heels’ posts back down for fear of fouling, Mitchell planted and laid the ball off the glass and through.

“I think I shot it too early,” said Mitchell, who finished with 18 points.

UNC coach Sylvia Hatchell called a timeout with 3.5 seconds remaining, aiming for Cherry to shoot a 3-pointer for the win. Cherry got UNC to the Sweet 16 with a buzzer-beater over Ohio State, and the plan was to set a screen, get her open and let it fly.

The screen was decent, Cherry had a step, but she hesitated while trying to get a foul. The shot went up, the horn went off, every eye on USC’s bench followed the ball – and then closed in ecstasy.

“We talked about not repeating history, them beating us again,” Mitchell said. “It was about making history, and getting to the eight.”

This story was originally published March 27, 2015 at 9:46 PM.