GREENVILLE, S.C. _ They weren't playing to end any streak. They were playing for themselves.
So consider South Carolina's 93-73 NCAA Tournament win over Marquette on Friday a thank-you to everybody that came before, a sigh of relief for those that come after _ but most of all, a well-deserved round of applause for the 2016-17 team, which stamped a defining legacy.
Long-suffering no more _ thanks to them _ the Gamecocks are moving on.
South Carolina (23-10) snapped a 44-year winless streak in the NCAA Tournament and advanced to play ACC champion Duke on Sunday, with the winner of that game headed for the Sweet 16 at Madison Square Garden. Talk of the skid had crept into every conversation about the Gamecocks leading to Friday's game; now that it's over, there's a new line.
Why stop now?
South Carolina overcame a bad start where it refused to attack a defense known for giving up buckets of inside points, P.J. Dozier relentlessly attacking the basket and Sindarius Thornwell (game-high 29 points) being the SEC Player of the Year he was all season. Rakym Felder supplied the bench points, finishing with seven, Chris Silva (10 points) was a bull in the paint and South Carolina began taking advantage of what Marquette gave it.
The Golden Eagles (19-13) were always going to be threats to shoot but South Carolina's tenacious, teeth-bared defense led by Duane Notice on the ball started causing turnovers. The lead grew and grew until it reached 11 with 5:30 to go, and the crowd began to feel it, in a mix of nervousness and excitement.
Here was where so many games had disappeared, South Carolina refusing to accept prosperity. Here was where the past would rise.
But like that streak that was so emphatically snapped, this is a new day.
The Gamecocks stretched it to 18 as Thornwell picked up a loose ball and finished the three-point play with 3:42 to go, and Marquette was officially in panic mode. Not enough shots fell as the Gamecocks bled out the clock and their opponent.
