Latest news with #Kitts
Yahoo
27-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Staley, South Carolina are back in the Final Four
Swish Appeal's contributing writer, Stephanie Kaloi, and photographer, Christina Merrion, were in Birmingham to chronicle and capture Sunday's Elite Eight showdown between South Carolina and Duke. Here's what they saw, with words from Stephanie and photos from Christina. There was never a doubt that Sunday's Elite Eight matchup between No. 1-seed South Carolina and No. 2-seed Duke Blue Devils was going to be tough—and both teams more than delivered. The Gamecocks eventually prevailed after a 40-minute fight, 54-50. Advertisement To start the game, Duke's Toby Fournier was responsible for most of her team's success, though her efforts were matched by Sania Feagin, Chloe Kitts, and MiLaysia Fulwiley on the South Carolina side. Raven Johnson deftly stepped in when needed at the top of the second when she hit a 3-pointer as Kitts and Feagin also kept things moving in the Gamecocks' direction with a combined 12 points. South Carolina led things 26-22 at the half. South Carolina's Raven Johnson. As they are wont to do, Duke came out of halftime on fire, ending the third period with a 42-38 lead. Ashlon Jackson and Reigan Richardson proved especially impactful for the Blue Devils, netting a combined 15 points. Duke's Ashlon Jackson. The fourth quarter battle was heated from the beginning. Both teams were playing hard and fast, with bucket after bucket matched. If any group made their presence known, it was South Carolina's fans, or FAMS, who spent most of the quarter screaming themselves hoarse in an attempt to inspire the Gamecocks. After a layup from Te-Hina Paopao pushed South Carolina ahead, a quick shot from Kitts at the six-minute mark pulled the team up 46-42. South Carolina's Chloe Kitts. But the Blue Devils were unwilling to go easily. Fournier tied the game up 46-46 with just under five minutes left, prompting a timeout. Sania Feagin broke the standoff, hitting a shot to bring the score to 48-46. Soon thereafter, a swath of South Carolina fans and Duke fans rose to their feet, the game at 52-50 in South Carolina's favor with under a minute to go. South Carolina assistant coach Khadijah Sessions. Johnson made the most of the time. She passed to Feagin, who missed a layup. The ball went out of bounds, earning the Gamecocks another chance—just when the moment (and the game clock) went under review. The clock was reset to 29.8 and Duke was immediately rewarded with a charge call against the Gamecocks, although most of the crowd was not pleased. Advertisement Duke took possession with a chance to take the lead. Jackson attempted and missed a 3-pointer that was caught by Bree Hall with 6.4 seconds on the clock—a moment that all but sealed the Blue Devils' fate. With the clock reset to 7.2 seconds, Kitts was immediately fouled as the Gamecocks inbounded the ball. She landed both free throws, bringing the score to 54-50 and prompting a Duke timeout. The Blue Devils turned the ball over on their final possession, sending the Gamecocks back to the Final Four for a fifth-straight season. South Carolina's Bree Hall. It was clear for most of the game that Feagin wasn't on the court to do anything other than win. Her 12-point and eight-rebound effort was complemented by Kitts, who hit free throw after free throw all afternoon to finish with a team-high 14 points. Papao and Johnson also had standout afternoons for the Gamecocks, hitting every shot they needed to right when it was the most important to do so. The pair, who are both expected to enter the WNBA Draft this year, finished the night with nine and seven points, respectively. South Carolina's Te-Hina Paopao. Now, the Gamecocks and head coach Dawn Staley will prepare for the Final Four in Tampa, where they will No. 1-seed Texas or No. 2-seed TCU on Friday, April 4. South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley. More from
USA Today
04-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Coloring. Legos. TikTok. How women's Final Four stars take care of their mental health
Coloring. Legos. TikTok. How women's Final Four stars take care of their mental health UCLA's Lauren Betts, South Carolina's Chloe Kitts, Texas' Rori Harmon and other Final Four stars opened up about how they take care of their mental health during pressure-packed March Madness. Show Caption Hide Caption UCLA vs UConn, South Carolina vs Texas sets stage for Final Four USA Today's Meghan Hall previews the women's Final Four teams that will be heading down to Tampa to compete for national championship. Sports Seriously Several prominent women's college basketball players have opened up about their mental health journeys during the 2025 Final Four. Players utilize various methods for managing pre-game anxiety and stress, including coloring, building Lego sets and doing therapy. Social media's impact on mental health varies among players, with some finding it detrimental and others viewing it as a healthy distraction. Many players emphasize the importance of having a strong support system and engaging in activities outside of basketball to maintain their mental well-being. TAMPA, Fla. — Confetti. Cutting down the nets. March Madness glory. All the rewards a college basketball player and her teammates dream of are within reach at the 2025 women's Final Four. So, on the biggest of stages, several of the game's biggest stars reflected on their mental health journey and how they handle the pressure of the moment. Lauren Betts, a center for No. 1 overall seed UCLA, took time away from the team last season to seek mental health treatment, and she continues to be open and honest about her mental health journey. 'I just don't feel like I have to really hide this anymore,' Betts said on Thursday. Watch women's Final Four live with Fubo (free trial) Not 50 paces from the microphone Betts sat behind, South Carolina's Chloe Kitts shared a similar sentiment. 'I feel like it's OK to talk about,' said Kitts, who noted it took some maturing to realize seeking help is what she needed. 'I mean, I'm just now talking about it because I'm just now taking care of myself.' Prior to the Gamecocks' Elite Eight contest, Kitts shared with ESPN how she uses a coloring book and her headphones – without music – to calm her nerves in the moments before game time. Kitts, with the help of her therapist, tried many strategies to ease her pregame anxiety before landing on her this routine. 'The breathing techniques didn't really help for me,' Kitts said. 'But I feel like my therapist just let me find something that was best for me and I haven't looked back since.' Chloe Kitts colors children's books as a way to destress before games ❤️ — espnW (@espnW) March 30, 2025 Texas guard Rori Harmon spoke earnestly on the subject as well, highlighting that mental health doesn't have a one-size-fits-all solution. 'Some people, it's hard for them to talk to therapists, so they just talk to their friends,' Harmon said. 'Or some people need to talk to someone who actually has a solution to their problems.' Harmon's reflections around mental health followed a season-ending ACL injury last season. She called the injury and recovery process the hardest thing she'd experienced in her life thus far. 'I am a D-I athlete, and I can get through anything physical because that's something that we do every day,' Harmon said. 'But as far as, like, taking a mental toll, that's not something that we're always used to.' With stressors coming from the game itself as well as the new attention the sport has garnered, UConn players Paige Bueckers and Sarah Strong recommend deleting social media apps. Alternatively, South Carolina players Sania Feagin and Raven Johnson find positives in being on social media. 'I think some of us, we need TikTok,' Johnson said. 'If you eat, sleep, breathe basketball, you're honestly going to be depressed and stressed about it. I think it helps us, gives us a little laughter, makes us enjoy things other than basketball.' A common thread between most players is the need to find some sort of outlet beyond the sport they love. For Kitts, it is coloring books. For Feagin, it's building Lego sets or painting. 'I think people forget that basketball isn't like who we are,' Harmon added. 'It's just something that we do ... something that we take pride in, we love doing, but we're humans, too.' UCLA's Lauren Betts reveals her focus on "mental work" ahead of Final Four UCLA Lauren Betts explains how her focus on improving her mental health has contributed to her performance this season. On the other hand, UConn's Kaitlyn Chen, a graduate transfer from Princeton, pointed to the game of basketball as her outlet from the anxiety-causing parts of regular life. 'Basketball has played a big part in being sort of a stress reliever for me,' Chen said. 'Because it's a break from school and a break from every other daily stressor, and it's just something that I still find to bring me a lot of joy and something that's really fun for me.' The strategies players use to take care of their mental health differ, but all of the players were in agreement about the importance of a support system. 'For every 500 people that love you, there's going to be five that hate you,' Bueckers said. 'So it's just focusing on the people that are important.' Women's Final Four schedule Makenzy Wolford is a student in the University of Georgia's Sports Media Certificate program.
Associated Press
03-04-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
South Carolina Gamecocks take on the Texas Longhorns in Final 4
Tampa, Florida; Friday, 7 p.m. EDT BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Gamecocks -4.5; over/under is 124.5 BOTTOM LINE: No. 2 South Carolina takes on No. 5 Texas in the NCAA Tournament Final Four. The Gamecocks' record in SEC play is 18-1, and their record is 16-2 in non-conference play. South Carolina ranks ninth in college basketball with 38.1 rebounds led by Chloe Kitts averaging 7.9. The Longhorns' record in SEC action is 18-2. Texas is the leader in the SEC allowing only 55.7 points per game while holding opponents to 38.0% shooting. South Carolina averages 79.8 points, 24.1 more per game than the 55.7 Texas gives up. Texas averages 3.1 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.1 fewer made shots on average than the 5.2 per game South Carolina allows. The teams play each other for the fourth time this season. South Carolina won the last matchup 64-45 on March 9. Kitts scored 15 to help lead South Carolina to the win, and Taylor Jones scored 14 points for Texas. TOP PERFORMERS: Te-Hina Paopao is shooting 36.1% from beyond the arc with 1.5 made 3-pointers per game for the Gamecocks, while averaging 9.5 points. Kitts is shooting 57.6% and averaging 13.1 points over the last 10 games. Madison Booker is scoring 16.5 points per game and averaging 6.8 rebounds for the Longhorns. Jones is averaging 11.2 points and 7.2 rebounds over the last 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Gamecocks: 10-0, averaging 77.3 points, 35.7 rebounds, 15.5 assists, 9.0 steals and 6.0 blocks per game while shooting 48.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 58.0 points per game. Longhorns: 9-1, averaging 66.3 points, 33.2 rebounds, 14.8 assists, 8.1 steals and 4.9 blocks per game while shooting 42.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 52.7 points. ___
USA Today
31-03-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
South Carolina's Te-Hina Paopao hilariously crashed Chloe Kitts' interview after Elite Eight win
South Carolina's Te-Hina Paopao hilariously crashed Chloe Kitts' interview after Elite Eight win South Carolina guard Te-Hina Paopao is so very profoundly unserious, and I love it. The Gamecocks had a pretty stressful Sunday. They managed to squeak out a 54-50 win against the No. 2 seed Duke Blue Devils, punching their ticket to the Final Four, but it didn't come without some drama. During the game's final five seconds in regulation, forward Chloe Kitts stepped to the line for free throws. MARCH MADNESS: 2025 WNBA mock draft 3.0 ― Is USC's Kiki Iriafen a top-5 pick? The nervous Kitts managed to sink both shots to help seal the win despite missing a few early in the game. During postgame interviews, the media asked Kitts about that tense but very clutch moment. The forward was mid-answer when Paopao hilariously crashed the whole thing. Kitts: "My teammates and my coaches were just telling me to relax." Paopao (coming in hot from the background): "Oh, yeah, MVP! Period, girl!" Kitts (*closes eyes*): "Oh my goodness." Paopao (*smiling*): "Sorry."*Kitts proceeds with interview**Paopao grabs the NCAA tournament regional trophy and takes selfies in the background* Never change, Te-Hina Paopao. You are a whole vibe.
Washington Post
31-03-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
Chloe Kitts shakes off missed free throws, then sinks a pair to send South Carolina to Final Four
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Chloe Kitts doinked two straight free-throw attempts off the basket late in the third quarter of South Carolina's Elite Eight game against Duke. Then she sank a pair of clutch ones when it mattered most. Kitts got to the line and nailed her sixth and seventh free throws of the game to give the Gamecocks a four-point lead in their women's NCAA Tournament regional final. South Carolina held on the final 5 seconds to win 54-50 and earn a trip to the Final Four for the fifth straight year.
