MARCH MADNESS at GOLDEN 1 CENTER in Sacramento, Calif.

Mar 31
4 min read

Updated: Apr 1

Elite E8GHT

2026 DIV. 1 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

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EDITORIALS🎙

South Carolina freshman Agot 'Gotti' Makeer helps cut down the net at Golden 1 Center after the Gamecocks beat TCU in the Elite Eight game. Makeer had 18 points off the bench, and will play in her first Final Four on April 3 in Phoenix. Publicity Agents photo by Tony Ray Harvey.

PUBLIC RECORD

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Photos, Footage, and Reported by Tony ‌Ray‌ ‌Harvey‌ ‌|‌ Public Information Officer

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SOUTH CAROLINA Fourth Quarter Spurt

Dooms TCU

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Sacramento, Calif. — The South Carolina Gamecocks dispensed the Texas Christian Horned Frogs 78-52 in the second game of the 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament Elite Eight (Regional 2) at the Golden 1 Center on March 30.

Joyce Edwards had 24 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 blocked shots, and 1 steal in 33 minutes for the Gamecocks (35-3), who advance to the Final Four in Phoenix on April 3 to face UConn.

Freshman Agot “Gotti” Makeer added 18 points, four rebounds, three assists, and three steals in 31 minutes off the bench for South Carolina. Tessa Johnson had 11 points, and Raven Johnson scored 10 points, pulled down eight rebounds, and dished out six assists.

The Gamecocks are 8-2 all-time in Regional Championship games with head coach Dawn Staley leading them to an impressive 8-1 mark. They are 14-3 against ranked opponents in 2025-2026 and have reached the Final Four six straight times, eight trips overall.

“It was really hard fought-game, one that took us a little bit to just kind of open up,” Staley said. “And we did that by the two players (J. Johnson and Makeer) sitting here. Overall, it was a great team win for both sides of the basketball. "

Olivia Miles had 18 points, six assists, three rebounds, and two steals for the Horned Frogs (32-6). Taylor Bigby had 10 points, while Marta Suárez added nine points, five rebounds, and two steals. Donovyn Hunter had nine points for TCU.

South Carolina HC Dawn Staley, far right, talks about how difficult the process is to get to the Final Four. She is joined by her players Agot "Gotti" Makeer, center, and Joyce Edwards, left.

Suárez’s triple put TCU ahead 12-4 in the first quarter. The Gamecocks responded with a 12-4 run to take the lead 16-14 on a 3-pointer by Edwards to end the first 10 minutes of action. Edwards recorded three blocks in the first quarter.

After TCU went up 22-18, Edwards made three straight baskets to stretch South Carolina’s lead to 27-22 eight minutes into the second quarter. Raven Johnson made back-to-back triples, and Edwards made a basket to give the Gamecocks a 35-27 margin at the break.

With the first bucket to start the second half, Medina Okot’s basket gave the Gamecocks a 10-point spread. Horned Frogs cut the lead by five points, but South Carolina led 49-41 through three quarters.

Makeer, a Canadian freshman, made three straight baskets that gave the Gamecocks a 55-41 lead early in the final quarter. South Carolina led by 22 points before TCU could score its first basket of the final frame.

The Gamecocks commanded a 14-0 run between the end of the third quarter and six minutes into the fourth. TCU did not make a basket in the last quarter until Taylor Bigby made a 3-pointer with 5:55 remaining.

Raven Johnson, left, has a moment with her coach Dawn Staley during the awards ceremony after South Carolina advance to the Final Four by beating TCU 72-58 at Golden 1 Center on March 3, 2026 in Sacramento, California.

“At the end of the day, they’re a great team,” Hunter said of South Carolina. “They’ve been together. They are fluid with each other. They know each other’s strengths and where they are on the floor. So, I think they just gained momentum.”

Okot pulled down her fourth rebound at the 7:45 mark of the third quarter to become the third Gamecock all-time to reach 400 in a season. Gamecock’s Tessa Johnson scored 11 points to reach 1,000 in her career.

Mark Campbell was hired as head coach on March 21, 2023, by TCU Athletic Director Jeremiah Donati after his brief but extremely successful stint with Sacramento State University Hornets.

Campbell got the Hornets into the NCAA Women’s basketball team into the tourney before he departed for Texas.

“I absolutely loved by time at Sac State, primarily because of the people,” Campbell said. “Just getting to bring our team back here and be on this stage at Golden 1. Obviously, we used to play the Causeway Classic here against our rival, UC Davis. All of this has just been a really special week.”

TCU player Marta Suárez eyes filled up with tears but she was thankful of her coach Mark Campbell and teammates for a successful season.

All-Tournament Teams:

Sacramento Region 2

Lauren Betts, UCLA; Angela Dugalić, UCLA; Taina Mair, Duke; Toby Fournier, Duke; and MiLaysia Fulwiley, LSU.

Sacramento Region 4

Raven Johnson (South Carolina), Agot Makeer (South Carolina), Olivia Miles (TCU), and Marta Suárez (TCU).

No. Texas beat No. 2 Michigan to complete the Final Four. They join UCLA and UConn.

Former Sacramento State University women's basketball coach Mark Campbell, right, sums up his season with TCU and winning the Big 12 Conference. His Horned Frogs team lost in the NCAA Elite Eight to South Carolina.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0RLBjWutQg

The Cutting Down the Nets at Golden 1 Center

#UCLA #NCAA #MarchMadness #NCAAWBB #Minnesota #Duke #TexasChristian #TCU #LSU #SacramentoState #HornetsAthletic #Sacramento #KaraLawson #CoriClose #LaurenBetts #FinalFour #EliteEight #SouthCarolina #WomenBasketball #DawnStaley #Golden1Center #TonyRayHarvey

Tony ‌Ray‌ ‌Harvey‌ ‌|‌ Public Information Officer

Publicity Agents

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Elite E8GHT

2026 DIV. 1 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

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Sports and Community

EDITORIALS🎙

PUBLIC RECORD

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THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Sacramento, Calif. — The South Carolina Gamecocks dispensed the Texas Christian Horned Frogs 78-52 in the second game of the 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament Elite Eight (Regional 2) at the Golden 1 Center on March 30.

Joyce Edwards had 24 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 blocked shots, and 1 steal in 33 minutes for the Gamecocks (35-3), who advance to the Final Four in Phoenix on April 3 to face UConn.

Freshman Agot “Gotti” Makeer added 18 points, four rebounds, three assists, and three steals in 31 minutes off the bench for South Carolina. Tessa Johnson had 11 points, and Raven Johnson scored 10 points, pulled down eight rebounds, and dished out six assists.

The Gamecocks are 8-2 all-time in Regional Championship games with head coach Dawn Staley leading them to an impressive 8-1 mark. They are 14-3 against ranked opponents in 2025-2026 and have reached the Final Four six straight times, eight trips overall.

“It was really hard fought-game, one that took us a little bit to just kind of open up,” Staley said. “And we did that by the two players (J. Johnson and Makeer) sitting here. Overall, it was a great team win for both sides of the basketball. "

Olivia Miles had 18 points, six assists, three rebounds, and two steals for the Horned Frogs (32-6). Taylor Bigby had 10 points, while Marta Suárez added nine points, five rebounds, and two steals. Donovyn Hunter had nine points for TCU.

Suárez’s triple put TCU ahead 12-4 in the first quarter. The Gamecocks responded with a 12-4 run to take the lead 16-14 on a 3-pointer by Edwards to end the first 10 minutes of action. Edwards recorded three blocks in the first quarter.

After TCU went up 22-18, Edwards made three straight baskets to stretch South Carolina’s lead to 27-22 eight minutes into the second quarter. Raven Johnson made back-to-back triples, and Edwards made a basket to give the Gamecocks a 35-27 margin at the break.

With the first bucket to start the second half, Medina Okot’s basket gave the Gamecocks a 10-point spread. Horned Frogs cut the lead by five points, but South Carolina led 49-41 through three quarters.

Makeer, a Canadian freshman, made three straight baskets that gave the Gamecocks a 55-41 lead early in the final quarter. South Carolina led by 22 points before TCU could score its first basket of the final frame.

The Gamecocks commanded a 14-0 run between the end of the third quarter and six minutes into the fourth. TCU did not make a basket in the last quarter until Taylor Bigby made a 3-pointer with 5:55 remaining.

“At the end of the day, they’re a great team,” Hunter said of South Carolina. “They’ve been together. They are fluid with each other. They know each other’s strengths and where they are on the floor. So, I think they just gained momentum.”

Okot pulled down her fourth rebound at the 7:45 mark of the third quarter to become the third Gamecock all-time to reach 400 in a season. Gamecock’s Tessa Johnson scored 11 points to reach 1,000 in her career.

Mark Campbell was hired as head coach on March 21, 2023, by TCU Athletic Director Jeremiah Donati after his brief but extremely successful stint with Sacramento State University Hornets.

Campbell got the Hornets into the NCAA Women’s basketball team into the tourney before he departed for Texas.

All-Tournament Teams:

Sacramento Region 2

Lauren Betts, UCLA; Angela Dugalić, UCLA; Taina Mair, Duke; Toby Fournier, Duke; and MiLaysia Fulwiley, LSU.

Sacramento Region 4

Raven Johnson (South Carolina), Agot Makeer (South Carolina), Olivia Miles (TCU), and Marta Suárez (TCU).

No. Texas beat No. 2 Michigan to complete the Final Four. They join UCLA and UConn.

Publicity Agents

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