The Gamecocks finally did it for the first time since their national championship; they are headed back to the Final Four. After a year of unknowns, many wondered if March Madness would occur since it was canceled last year due to COVID-19. One team and a stellar freshman tournament run got cut short before it even started last year: Zia Cooke and the Gamecocks. After a unique season, 64 teams suited up to head to San Antonio and now only four teams remain, and South Carolina is one of them. Zia Cooke Leads the Gamecocks to the Final Four.
Impact of Zia Cooke in NCAA Tournament
After a stellar SEC tournament, Zia Cooke and the Gamecocks won the tournament and then prepared for the NCAA tournament. Cooke only a sophomore has been starting since she was a freshman, but this was her first NCAA tournament due to the cancellation the year prior.
As a No. 1 seed, SC first faced Mercer. Cooke had 13 points and 3 steals to lead her team to a 79-53 victory over Mercer. After this game, the Gamecocks were set to play the Beavers of Oregon State. Zia had yet another outstanding game with 10 points for a 59-42 victory. Then things became sweeter for the team when it was time to play in the Sweet 16 against Georgia Tech. Cooke scored 17 points and had 4 rebounds for a 76-65 win to head to the Elite 8.
The Gamecocks were set to play Texas in the Elite 8. This is a tough matchup between a 6-seed Texas and 1-seed South Carolina. Zia Cooke led the way for the Gamecocks once again for a lights-out game. She had 16 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and a steal. Defensively the Gamecocks allowed for no points to be scored in the 4th to win the game 62-34. Now, Zia Cooke Leads the Gamecocks to the Final Four.
SOUTH CAROLINA IS HEADED TO THE FINAL FOUR ‼️⁰⁰Zia Cooke (16 PTS) leads No. 1 seed South Carolina past No. 6 seed Texas, 62-34 pic.twitter.com/qCcB30gPIP
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 31, 2021
What to Expect from Cooke in the Final Four
Now that Zia Cooke Leads the Gamecocks to the Final Four, the Gamecocks are set to play Stanford on Friday. Stanford defeated 2-seeded Louisville in their Elite 8 matchup. Stanford is a deep team with talented players so this matchup of one seed vs. another one seed will be a tough battle. Zia Cookie is an exceptionally talented player and you can expect her to play well in this matchup. If she gets open on the three expect her to shoot it or have a crazy spin move or assist down low. She is a versatile young guard that is up for this challenge. Cooke always delivers for important games and this game should not be an exception.
South Carolina in 2017 beat Stanford in the Final Four to make it to the championship where they would win their first national championship. This game will be a close one and you can expect both teams to fight to the very final buzzer. The game airs on April 2nd at 6 pm EST and you can watch it on ESPN. Make sure to tune in to watch Zia Cooke and the Gamecocks vs. Stanford.
The Women’s Final Four is set:
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 31, 2021
🏀 No. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 1 Stanford
🏀 No. 1 UConn vs. No. 3 Arizona
Should be a fun one 🍿 @marchmadness pic.twitter.com/dUoZamKCRu
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