BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — When games for No. 1 seed South Carolina get tough, Sania Feagin remains calm and poised. The Gamecocks’ forward didn’t collect those traits overnight, in a single game or from solo possession. She mastered them from experience.
With South Carolina leading by two points and Chloe Kitts heading to the free throw to shut the door on Duke’s hope of a Final Four appearance in the final five seconds, Feagin uttered four words to her running mate in the post.
“Take a deep breath,” Feagin said postgame.
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Kitts cashed in on the free throws with ease. As South Carolina held a 4-point advantage, an overwhelming majority of the 11,252 fans inside Legacy Arena began to rejoice, stand to their feet and felt the brewing of a Final Four appearance in reach. Still, with five ticks left on the scoreboard, Feagin withheld her emotion.
“We’re used to being up but we weren’t up that much,” Feagin said postgame. “… When Chloe [Kitts] did make her free throws, I was just like, don’t get too high with the highs and too low with the lows. Realize there’s five seconds left. A lot of time on the clock and stay ready for anything.”
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However, her opportunity to release her emotion and excitement came on the next play.
Duke’s Reigan Richardson committed a costly turnover, delivering a bad inbound pass that was stolen by Feagin — the biggest of her three steals in the contest — to secure South Carolina’s 54-50 victory against No. 2 seed Duke in the Birmingham Regional 2 on Sunday. The Gamecocks punched a ticket to their fifth consecutive women’s NCAA Final Four behind Sunday’s win.
As the final buzzer sounded and the ball in her hands, Feagin bounced her way to halfcourt with a galore of phones and cameras capturing her teammates mobbing her with excitement. For Feagin, seeing South Carolina advance to the Final Four is the standard. Over the last three years, the 6’3” forward sat on the bench and watched dominant South Carolina post players Aliyah Boston and Kamila Cardoso relish the big moments and the confetti swaddle their uniforms after the big game. On Sunday, it was Feagin’s turn to savor the moment.
Trailing 42-38 entering the fourth quarter, Feagin kicked off the scoring for South Carolina, hitting one of two critical turnaround jumpers to bring the Blue Devils’ lead within two points. Then, with a little more than four minutes to play in regulation, she converted a second turnaround jumper in the paint to give the Gamecocks a 48-46 lead.
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From there, South Carolina never relinquished the lead. Feagin recorded 12 points, eight rebounds, three assists, a trio of steals and placed a timely hand in the face of Blue Devils’ Ashlon Jackson, who missed a huge left wing three pointer with seven seconds left in the game.
Between Feagin and Kitts — two of South Carolina’s three selections on the Birmingham 2 Regional All-Tourney Team — they combined for 12 of the Gamecocks’ 16 points and a third of the team’s rebounds in the fourth quarter.
“She’s [Feagin] a beast,” said Gamecocks’ senior point guard Raven Johnson to The Next. “When she’s in the paint, I don’t think nobody can guard her. When she’s shooting the mid range, she even shot a three [pointer] today, she’s just really versatile.”
Feagin envisioned performances like the one she produced on Sunday when she came to South Carolina in the 2021-22 season as a freshman. However, her “process” started by learning and watching the post players ahead of her.
Now, throughout the season and especially within the last four weeks, Feagin delivered when her number was called. When South Carolina needed her production to defeat Texas in the Southeastern Conference championship game earlier this month, Feagin stepped up in true fashion, finishing with 11 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals.
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As Feagin continues to enjoy the fruits of her labor in what she hopes will culminate in her third NCAA championship in four seasons, head coach Dawn Staley said seeing her senior forward blossom into the leader and player she has watched on the hardwood has been worth it.
“Her growth, her maturation process has just been on an upward trajectory,” Staley said. “I’ve always said she was the most talented big. Whatever big that was on our roster, she was the most talented as far as being able to make moves and understand the game and communicate the game. To see her just out there performing like a senior, that’s what you want. I wanted her there a lot sooner than this year.”
Staley also added that Feagin’s journey was one that she alone had to endure.
“… We try to fast-track it [the process], but some of them just have to go through it,” Staley said postgame. “… Once they’ve gone through it, you know, there’s not very much communication that’s needed. They just go out there and do it. We got to lean on her for, you know, hopefully two more games, and that entire class will leave here as the most decorated if they can get another championship.”
The Gamecocks will face the winner of Monday’s Elite Eight contest between No. 1 seed Texas and No. 2 seed TCU.
