Watch: Buzzer-beater from unlikely hero keeps No. 1 South Carolina undefeated

Cardoso's heroics helped avoid what would have been an excruciating way for South Carolina to suffer its first loss of the campaign. 

Leading by as many as 23 points, the Gamecocks saw their advantage evaporate late in the fourth quarter. After Rickea Jackson gave Tennessee the lead with 25 seconds left, Raven Johnson missed a go-ahead three-pointer on the other end of the floor.

However, a Jasmine Powell missed free throw gave the Gamecocks one more chance, setting up Cardoso's buzzer-beater. 

After the thrilling last-second victory, Cardoso revealed that she wasn't even sure what the play was before hitting arguably the biggest shot of her life. After years of working on her shot after practice, instinct took over. 

"I didn't know it was good until I saw the ball drop onto the floor," she told Matt Dowell of WACH. 

The unlikely hero is now 1 of 2 from beyond the arc for her career, making her, as teammate Te-Hina Paopao joked, the "best shooter in the nation." 

Kidding aside, thanks to her clutch three, she and the Gamecocks will battle for the SEC title on Sunday with their undefeated record intact.