The NCAA Women’s Tournament Elite Eight match between South Carolina and Maryland turned out to be a nail-biting affair, with both teams putting up a tough fight. South Carolina, who entered the game with a perfect 25-0 record, faced a tough challenge from Maryland, who was looking to pull off an upset.

The first half of the game saw both teams go back and forth, with neither team managing to build a significant lead. Maryland’s defense was particularly impressive, limiting South Carolina’s scoring opportunities. The game was tied at 36 by halftime.

The second half started with South Carolina looking to pull away, but Maryland refused to give up. The Terrapins’ offense started to click, and they took a 60-53 lead with just over six minutes to play. But as the clock ticked down, South Carolina showed why they were the number one team in the country. They went on a 9-0 scoring run to take the lead with just over two minutes left in the game.

Maryland had a chance to tie the game in the final seconds but missed their shot, giving South Carolina a hard-fought 71-64 victory. Dawn Staley, South Carolina’s head coach, praised Maryland’s effort, saying, “They made us work for it. We had to dig deep and grind it out.”

With the win, South Carolina advances to the Final Four and will play either Texas or Stanford. It’s their third Final Four appearance in the last six years. Maryland, who had made it to the Elite Eight for the sixth time in the last seven years, will have to wait for another chance to make it to the Final Four.