COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) – Tiffany Mitchell scored 16 of her 20 points in the first two quarters as top-seeded South Carolina opened a big lead and breezed into the Sweet 16 with 73-47 victory over Kansas State on Sunday night.

The Gamecocks (33-1) romped through their first two NCAA Tournament games, defeating Jacksonville by 36 points before routing the ninth-seeded Wildcats (19-13) on the way to their fourth round of 16 in the past five seasons. South Carolina, though, is looking for much more and showed the inside strength and defense that might help achieve their national championship goal.

Mitchell was the catalyst in the first 20 minutes, slicing through the Kansas State defense whenever she had the ball.

The Gamecocks will face Syracuse (27-7) on Friday in Sioux Falls, South Dakota in the next round.

Breanna Lewis had 21 points to lead the Wildcats, who had no answer once South Carolina got going.