The No. 1 seed South Carolina Gamecocks fended off a resilient No. 9 Indiana team to claim a 64-53 victory and punch their ticket to the Sweet 16. The Hoosiers (20-13) refused to go down without a fight, keeping the game close through three quarters before South Carolina (32-3) pulled away late.

Trailing 26-25 at halftime, the Gamecocks flipped the script in the third quarter with a dominant 26-14 run that shifted momentum in their favor. Chloe Kitts, held scoreless in the first half on 0-for-4 shooting, sparked the surge with seven points in the opening three minutes, including a 3-pointer from the top of the key. Kitts finished with a double-double, contributing 10 points and 11 rebounds.

South Carolina’s defense also found its groove after halftime, forcing four turnovers early in the third quarter. One steal by Raven Johnson, followed by a 3-pointer from Bree Hall, electrified the crowd at Colonial Life Arena. Hall led the Gamecocks with 11 points in the contest.

The Gamecocks' 26-point third quarter was more than they managed in the entire first half, where they struggled offensively. South Carolina shot just 34.5% from the field in the first half, scoring only 25 points — their third-lowest first-half output this season. The Gamecocks’ nine points in the first quarter tied their season low, previously set against UConn in February.

Indiana led for much of the first half, holding the advantage for nine minutes and taking a one-point lead into halftime. But South Carolina’s strong third-quarter performance gave them a comfortable 51-40 lead heading into the final period.

With Sunday’s win, South Carolina advances to the Sweet 16 for the 15th time in school history and the 12th time under head coach Dawn Staley. The Gamecocks will face the winner of No. 4 Maryland and No. 5 Alabama, who play Monday at 4 p.m. The date and time for South Carolina’s next match-up in Birmingham, Alabama, will be determined after that result.

The Gamecocks remain on track in their quest for another deep NCAA Tournament run, proving once again that they can rise to the occasion when the pressure is on.