AP

Henderson’s scoring outburst lifts Gamecocks to title

Apr 3, 2022, 8:06 AM | Updated: 9:30 pm

South Carolina's Destanni Henderson is fouled as she drives between UConn's Olivia Nelson-Ododa and...

South Carolina's Destanni Henderson is fouled as she drives between UConn's Olivia Nelson-Ododa and Azzi Fudd during the second half of a college basketball game in the final round of the Women's Final Four NCAA tournament Sunday, April 3, 2022, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

(AP Photo/Eric Gay)


              South Carolina's Destanni Henderson shoots during the second half of a college basketball game in the final round of the Women's Final Four NCAA tournament Sunday, April 3, 2022, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
            
              South Carolina's Destanni Henderson is fouled as she drives between UConn's Olivia Nelson-Ododa and Azzi Fudd during the second half of a college basketball game in the final round of the Women's Final Four NCAA tournament Sunday, April 3, 2022, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
            
              South Carolina's Destanni Henderson smiles after making a basket during the second half of a college basketball game in the final round of the Women's Final Four NCAA tournament Sunday, April 3, 2022, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
            
              South Carolina's Destanni Henderson shoots during the second half of a college basketball game in the final round of the Women's Final Four NCAA tournament Sunday, April 3, 2022, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The smallest player on the court came up huge in the biggest moments for South Carolina.

UConn opened the fourth quarter with a quick basket to cut South Carolina’s lead to seven in the NCAA title game Sunday night. The Huskies, with a pedigree unmatched in women’s college basketball, were trying to overcome a huge size disadvantage that put them in a double-digit hole early in the game.

Then, 5-foot-7 Destanni Henderson stepped up — and buried them. And led the Gamecocks to a 64-49 victory.

South Carolina’s senior point guard followed the UConn bucket with a driving layup, slicing her way through the lane, using her slight frame to shield the ball from a defender as she approached the hoop.

On the next trip down the court, the Gamecocks’ Aliyah Boston — the AP National Player of the Year — blocked a shot at the top of the key. Henderson sprinted behind the defense, hauled in Boston’s outlet pass, and made another layup — uncontested this time.

Later in the fourth quarter, Henderson scored again on consecutive possessions, with a long jump shot and another layup. The second basket pushed South Carolina’s lead to 16 with 4:18 to play, essentially ending the hopes of the Huskies, who didn’t get closer than 10 the rest of the way.

Henderson finished with a career-high 26 points, shooting 9 of 20 from the field as the Gamecocks won their second national title. She added four assists and helped hold Paige Bueckers to 14 points, teaming with junior Brea Beal to keep the UConn star in check most of the night.

“She was super aggressive on both sides of the basketball,” Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley said. “We started her off on Paige, and Plan B was to put a bigger body on her like Brea Beal, but we didn’t really have to do that because (Henderson) was super focused on making it really hard for her.”

Henderson provided a hint of things to come when she opened the game with a 3-pointer. She did it again to start the second quarter, then hit another 3 to put South Carolina up 30-12 just 12:25 into the game.

“I feel like my teammates just put me in a good position to score the basketball,” Henderson said. “I just found open gaps and when they collapsed in the paint, Aliyah or whoever it was passing the ball just found me out in the corner and I just let it fly.”

Many of her points proved to be timely. A 10-0 run late in the third quarter pulled UConn within 43-37. But Henderson scored the last three points of the quarter on a free throw and another coast-to-coast layup to restore order.

“She’s a quiet soul, a smooth operator,” Staley said. “She had a different look this tournament because she knew it was going to be her last tournament. So each and every game … she was locked in.”

More AP coverage of March Madness: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

AP

Associated Press

Ex-Packer Guion gets 1 year for domestic violence assault

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Former Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Letroy Guion was sentenced to one year in jail after pleading no contest in a domestic violence assault at his home last fall. Brown County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Walsh also ordered Guion on Tuesday to serve three years’ probation and complete a domestic […]

1 year ago

Joe Jarzynka...

Associated Press

Durant eager for Suns debut vs. Hornets after knee injury

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Kevin Durant has been through quite a bit during his 15-year NBA career — but joining a new team midway through the season is a new one for the 13-time All-Star. The 34-year-old Durant doesn’t seem all that worried. Durant makes his highly anticipated Phoenix Suns debut on Wednesday night against […]

1 year ago

FILE - Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores stands on the sideline during the second half of an N...

Associated Press

Judge: NFL coach can press discrimination claims in court

NEW YORK (AP) — NFL Coach Brian Flores can pursue some of his discrimination claims against the league and its teams in court rather than through arbitration, a judge ruled Wednesday. The written decision by Judge Valerie Caproni in Manhattan was issued months after lawyers for the league tried to get the lawsuit moved to […]

1 year ago

Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Alex Stalock cools off in the first period during an NHL hockey game ...

Associated Press

Kane trade reinforces hard reality of Blackhawks rebuild

CHICAGO (AP) — After days of speculation, the harsh reality of the Chicago Blackhawks’ situation was reinforced by one move in a flurry of transactions ahead of the NHL trade deadline. Showtime is over, at least in Chicago, and a seemingly bright future is, well, way off in the distance. The reverberations of Chicago’s decision […]

1 year ago

FILE -  Yves Jean-Bart, president of the Haitian Football Federation, wearing a protective face mas...

Associated Press

Disgraced ex-Haitian soccer president announces he’s back

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti’s former soccer federation president whose lifetime ban from sport over sexual abuse allegations was overturned last month announced Wednesday that he is reclaiming his position. Yves Jean-Bart’s defiant announcement could lead to a standoff with FIFA, which already has appointed an emergency management committee to lead the Haitian Football Association […]

1 year ago

FILE - Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers walks off the field after an NFL football game against the ...

Associated Press

Rodgers says decision on future will come ‘soon enough’

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers says he will make a decision on his future “soon enough” as the four-time MVP quarterback ponders whether to play next season and if his future remains with the Green Bay Packers. Rodgers, 39, discussed his future while speaking on an episode of the “Aubrey Marcus Podcast” that […]

1 year ago

Henderson’s scoring outburst lifts Gamecocks to title