Cardoso's first career 3 rescues South Carolina at SEC tournament - ESPN

GREENVILLE, S.C. — South Carolina coach Dawn Staley knew her first option for a game-winning, outside shot, Te-Hina Paopao, would be bottled up by Tennessee.

So she demanded from the sideline her leading scorer and rebounder, Kamilla Cardoso, do what she'd been reluctant to her whole career: «Shoot it!»

Cardoso finally listened, banking home a desperation shot at the buzzer for her first-ever 3-pointer to rescue No. 1 South Carolina's perfect season with a 74-73 win over the Lady Vols in the Southeastern Conference Tournament semifinals on Saturday.

«I added a couple more words that I can't mention,» Staley said about her order to Cardoso, the 6-foot-7 forward who had only attempted one long-range shot in her career as a Syracuse freshman before this.

«Coach told Kamilla to shoot the ball and Kamilla shoots the ball with confidence,» said point guard Raven Johnson, who passed in to Cardoso at the top of the key.

The Gamecocks (31-0) had blown a 23-point lead and trailed the Lady Vols (19-12) 73-71 with 1.1 seconds left.

«I knew with the players we had on the floor, pretty much the only person who was going to be open was Kamilla,» Staley said. «So I just told Raven (Johnson) to get the ball to Kamilla. And I told Kamilla, 'Hey, pass it to Paopao,' and then at the last second I was like, 'Kamilla, shoot it.'»

Cardoso was mobbed by her joyous teammates as the large South Carolina crowd — the campus is only about a 100-mile drive from the Greenville arena — cheered in celebration.

«I was very happy my teammates believed in me,» Cardoso said. «I didn't have best game I could have, off all night. I was happy I could make the shot and take them to the finals.»

Cardoso was playing in front of her mom and sister who came up from