The South Carolina women’s basketball team is back in the Final Four for the fourth year in a row and is still undefeated after winning the Albany 1 Region last weekend.

Like last year, the team was perfect and won every game entering this final weekend of the season. Unlike last year, the team did it with a deep group of fresh and inexperienced faces.

South Carolina lost eight players from last year’s team that fell to Iowa in the semifinal game, including all five starters. The Gamecocks entered this season with expectations, but few thought they would maintain the level of dominance they saw during the Aliyah Boston “freshies” era.

“We beat the odds. I mean, the odds said that we shouldn’t make it back to the Final Four,” head coach Dawn Staley said. “[I’m] just proud of our team and for them believing in themselves. They created a certain level of chemistry and culture and they stuck with it. Then they allowed us to coach them, and they trusted us to coach them.”

The Gamecocks punched their ticket to the final weekend after picking up wins against Indiana and Oregon State. The team did not breeze past their opponents like in the opening rounds. This time, they had to work for it.

The team was tested against Indiana in the Sweet Sixteen. South Carolina defeated the Hoosiers 79-75 after Indiana fought back from down more than 20.

South Carolina opened the game and immediately built a lead, making the game appear to be a blowout. Those premonitions proved false as Indiana went on to outscore South Carolina 43-28 in the second half.

With under a minute left in the game, the Hoosiers had the deficit down to a bucket and needed one stop to have their shot at knocking off the tournament’s No. 1 overall team. With a multitude of weapons on the other side, though, a stop would be difficult to earn.

With Kamilla Cardoso, Te-Hina Paopao, Bree Hall, Ashlyn Watkins and Raven Johnson on the floor, every Gamecock was a scoring threat.

The ball moved around a few times as time ticked down. It eventually found the hands of a spotting-up Johnson, who nailed a dagger three to put the Gamecocks up two possessions.

“I was open, and all I could think is ‘let it go,’” Johnson said after the game. “I don’t want to lose.”

That fear of loss has kept the Gamecocks alive and undefeated, despite the few close calls they’ve faced this season. From early season tests against UNC and Utah to their conference championship clashes with Tennessee and LSU, South Carolina has endured just about everything and came away unscathed.

South Carolina made their trip to Cleveland official on March 31 after beating Oregon State 70-58 to set up a date with N.C. State in the national semifinal.

That game was also a close contest with the teams only separated by four at the break.

The Gamecocks started the second half and expanded their lead in the third quarter from four to twelve. The difference remained at 12 at the end of the game, but at one point in the fourth quarter, Oregon State cut the lead to four.

While Milaysia Fulwiley made her name known to the country during the opening week’s games, last week was Tessa Johnson’s turn to show who was up next at South Carolina.

The freshman scored a team-high 15 points in 21 minutes of playing time off the bench. Her performance helped fulfill one of her lifelong goals.

“I was the little girl dreaming of being up there,” she said.

Watkins highlighted Johnson’s performance by showing an impressive display of two-way abilities. She finished with eight points, and 14 rebounds, including six offensive, and four blocks.

“I love playing defense. I love jumping, and I just like being active on the defensive end,” Watkins said. “I think that’s what gets us started on the offensive end -- good defense.”

The Gamecocks fell short of completing their undefeated season last year, losing to Iowa in the national semifinal. The team is seeking its third national championship after winning in 2017 and 2022.

To get it, South Carolina will need to get past N.C. State in the semifinal game April 5. If they do that, they will have the chance to play the winner of Iowa and UCONN for a third trophy, begin a new era of Dawn’s dynasty and most importantly, avoid the dissatisfaction of defeat.

“They’re just trying to figure it out, and they want to play for each other,” Staley said. “They want to not disappoint each other.”