South Carolina women’s basketball used a dominant third quarter to return to the national championship game for the second time in three years, but the Gamecocks now shift their focus to the health of Kamilla Cardoso.
At the 1:39 mark of the second quarter of Friday’s Final Four game against NC State, Cardoso went down with an injury inside the paint as she went up for a layup. Cardoso looked to have taken a hard hit but it’s uncertain what exactly her injury was. She immediately went to the locker room to be evaluated.
Cardoso, who declared for the WNBA draft earlier this week, returned to the game in the third quarter but sat out for the fourth quarter due to South Carolina being up a large margin against NC State.
Kamilla Cardoso injury update
Following the game, Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley said Cardoso was “okay” as evident by her returning to the game.
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Heading into the locker room at halftime, South Carolina guard Raven Johnson joined ESPN’s Holly Rowe for an interview on the court and gave her opinion — which was not an official update from the team — on her teammates’ injury and whether she would return.
“She has the mind of a killer,” Johnson said.
According to Asheville Citizen Times reporter Evan Gerike, Cardoso came out of the tunnel after halftime and onto the court with a sleeve on her right leg. She also participated in team warmups before the second half began. She moved from a white leg sleeve to a black one upon her return.
Cardoso started the second half on the floor for Gamecocks, indicating her collision was a stinger.
Near the end of the third quarter, the ESPN broadcast showed Cardoso heading over to the stationary bicycle with some of the South Carolina trainers after being subbed out.
Gerike reported that Staley told Cardoso heading into the fourth quarter that she plans to rest Cardoso for the fourth quarter with South Carolina up more than 20 points against NC State. Cardoso has 22 points on 10-of-12 shooting from the field.
This story will be updated.