Gamecock Man of SB Nation's Garnet and Black Attack recapped South Carolina's 78-69 win over Oregon State in the second round of the 2014 NCAA Tournament, highlighting how the Gamecocks' athleticism influenced the outcome.
First of all, Carolina took 43 free throws to Oregon St.'s 18., making 34 to OSU's 9. Mitchell's ability to attack the basket and Carolina's front line's ability to get off shots around the rim--in part by muscling for offensive rebounds--account for the difference. In particular, Welch's blend of power and agility in the paint proved to be difficult for OSU's less athletic roster to handle.
Second of all, Oregon St. came into the game living offensively off of star point guard Sydney Wiese's long-range shooting ability.
Although Wiese shot just 2-for-12 from the 3-point line, the rest of the team shot a solid 8-for-18 to finish a solid 10-for-30 as a unit. But that first point about the free throw line reflects another problem for OSU in the game: three players, including 6-foot-6 center Ruth Hamblin, fouled out leaving the the Beavers short-handed.
For more analysis on South Carolina and their tournament run, check out the women's basketball section at Garnet and Black Attack. For more on the region as a whole, check out our Stanford region storystream.