NCAA Women’s Tournament GREENSBORO REGION FINAL

Final Four berth teams' big prize

South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley reacts during the second half of a women's college basketball game against Savannah State in the first round of the NCAA tournament, Friday, March 20, 2015, in Columbia, S.C. South Carolina won 81-48.
South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley reacts during the second half of a women's college basketball game against Savannah State in the first round of the NCAA tournament, Friday, March 20, 2015, in Columbia, S.C. South Carolina won 81-48.

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Dawn Staley has spent seven years building South Carolina's program to get to this point -- past the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16, playing to reach the Final Four.

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AP

Florida State head coach Sue Semrau disagrees with a call during the second half of a women's college basketball game against Florida Gulf Coast in the second round of the NCAA tournament in Tallahassee, Fla., Monday March 23, 2015.

Florida State Coach Sue Semrau has spent even longer trying to reach the tournament's final weekend.

The Greensboro Region final today is a rare opportunity for both programs. It's only the second Elite Eight appearance for either school, with one team set to make its first trip to the Final Four in Tampa.

The No. 1-seeded Gamecocks (33-2) survived a tense finish to beat North Carolina 67-65 on Tiffany Mitchell's last-second layup.

South Carolina had lost twice before in the regional semifinals under Staley, including a year ago to the Tar Heels. The Gamecocks are in their first region final since 2002.

"Our team has been a creature of habit," Staley said Saturday. "We've been able to focus on the task at hand and we've been able to turn the page and focus in on the next task. Obviously, it's a great win for our program. It's a great milestone, but it's not our destination game."

Junior Tina Roy said she thought there was "kind of a weight lifted" by getting past the Sweet 16 for the SEC champions, who spent 12 weeks at No. 1. Mitchell agreed but added they "couldn't breathe easy because we knew we had to turn around and play Florida State."

South Carolina's deep roster has nine players averaging at least 15 minutes. Bench play was huge in the North Carolina victory. Coates produced 18 points, 10 rebounds and 10-for-10 shooting at the line, Roy hit three second-half three-pointers and Olivia Gaines (averaging 1.6 points) hit a tying three-pointer near the one-minute mark.

The No. 2-seeded Seminoles (32-4) were picked fifth in the Atlantic Coast Conference and were unranked in preseason but have set a program record for victories. They edged Arizona State 66-65 on Friday to reach their first regional final since 2010 under Coach Semrau, who is in her 18th year at the school.

"For us to get through that and stay together only makes us improve on what we can do and how we will play towards South Carolina," senior Maegan Conwright said.

FSU's Leticia Romero scored 21 points on 10-for-16 shooting Friday. The Seminoles could use another good showing against a defense ranked in the top 10 nationally in scoring (53.2 points) and shooting percentage (34.5 percent).

"Lettie knew that it was a role she needed to take in order for us to win," Semrau said. "That's when she is at her best scoring-wise, when she knows she's needed."

FSU is ranked third nationally in rebounding margin (plus-12.5) while South Carolina is 10th (plus-10.1). The Seminoles have been outrebounded once, while the Gamecocks have been outrebounded twice. FSU top rebounder Adut Bulgak called rebounding "contagious" for her team.

South Carolina leading rebounder Alaina Coates said her team has to be aggressive.

"We know we can't go in there soft," she said.

Sports on 03/29/2015

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