For a second straight season, the South Carolina Gamecocks are undefeated through the Elite Eight. Coach Dawn Staley is admittedly "uncomfortably comfortable" with her youthful team, but the results are undeniable. South Carolina gets great production from its bench and run with great pace.
The thing is, so does NC State. And the Wolfpack are shooting on par with the Gamecocks from the perimeter. In four NCAA Tournament games, NC State is shooting 38.6% from distance while South Carolina is shooting at 38.1% from 3-point range.
South Carolina has had a few close calls so far in the tournament, but has led for just about all of it. The Gamecocks have defeated Presbyterian, North Carolina, Indiana and Oregon State to reach this point. NC State, meanwhile, took down Chattanooga, Tennessee, Stanford and Texas to reach the Final Four, with the final two wins coming over the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds in its region.
Let's take a closer look at how fans can catch the action on Friday night in Cleveland before tackling the key storyline to watch in the game below.
How to watch (3) NC State vs. (1) South Carolina
Date: Friday, April 5 | Time: 7 p.m. ET
Location: Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse -- Cleveland, Ohio
TV: ESPN | Live stream: Fubo (Try for free)
NC State vs. South Carolina: Key storyline
Saniya Rivers has already led her new team, NC State, to the program's first Final Four. Now the guard must overcome, Staley, her former head coach, to give the Wolfpack a chance at a championship ring.
"Man, that would be amazing to add another ring to the collection. That would be nice. Especially just to feel like I'm more a part of a Final Four championship this year would be amazing," Rivers said on March 30 after defeating Texas in the Elite Eight.
"I got the opportunity. Most freshmen don't get the opportunity, most people don't get the opportunity to win a national championship. To actually feel like I'm playing more and being a part and contributing to a Final Four and a championship would feel amazing," she added.
Rivers starts for NC State head coach Wes Moore and has played all 40 minutes in the last two Wolfpack wins over Stanford and Texas. She is averaging nearly 13 points and four assists per game for NC State, nearly doubling her productivity over last season. In 2021-22, Rivers averaged 2.3 points and 1.4 assists per game for the Gamecocks. She played a combined 25 minutes in the national semifinal and championship games.
Staley confirmed she has been in communication with Rivers, including the night NC State earned a trip to the Final Four.
"I say this often, once you're a part of our family, whether you stay or whether you transfer, I mean, you're always going to have me as a resource," Staley said Tuesday. "And I'm proud of Rivers. I really am."
