The South Carolina women will once again host first and second round games for the NCAA Women’s Tournament, and the Gamecocks will be joined in Columbia by a couple of familiar teams.
The Gamecocks were dubbed the #4 national seed, and thus, the #1 seed for the Sacramento 4 Regional. They will play either Southern or Samford on Saturday at the Colonial Life Arena.
Assuming the Gamecocks handle their business on Saturday, waiting for them on Monday will be either Clemson or Southern Cal. The Tigers are the #8 seed for the regional.
South Carolina faced Clemson and Southern Cal in back to back games in November. The Gamecocks defeated Clemson 65-37 in Columbia, and downed the Trojans 69-52 in Los Angeles.
The College of Charleston, which earned an automatic bid by winning the CAA Tournament, is a #14 seed and will play Duke in Durham on Friday.
Release from USC
For the sixth-consecutive season and 10th time overall, South Carolina women’s basketball has earned an NCAA Tournament No. 1 seed. Making their 14th straight appearance at the event, the Gamecocks are the No. 1 seed in the Sacramento 4 Regional. They will host first- and second-round games at Colonial Life Arena this weekend.
Saturday’s first round action, the SEC Champion Gamecocks (31-3) will play the winner of Thursday’s First Four game between Southern (19-13) and Samford (16-18). No. 8 seed Clemson (21-11) and No. 9 seed Southern Cal (17-13) will also square off at Colonial Life Arena on Saturday. The winner of those two games will meet on Mon., Mar. 23. Times and television designations will be announced at a later time.
The Gamecocks were awarded the fourth No. 1 seed in the tournament after spending the entire season ranked in the top five of both national polls and the NET rankings a well. South Carolina won its 10th SEC regular-season title with a 15-1 mark in league play and advanced to the final game of the SEC Tournament for the seventh-consecutive year. The Gamecocks’ 12 Quad 1 wins are third-most in the nation as are their 12 wins against ranked opponents. All five Gamecock starters earned All-SEC status, tying the league record for honorees.
This is the 22nd all-time NCAA Tournament bid for the Gamecocks, who have won three National Championships (2017, 2022, 2024) and played in four other Final Fours in the last 10 tournaments. South Carolina has played in a total of 15 Sweet 16s and advanced to the Elite Eight nine times. The Gamecocks are 55-18 all-time in the event, including a 47-10 mark under head coach Dawn Staley.
This marks the Gamecocks’ 10th regional No. 1 seed all-time after earning the position in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025. South Carolina advanced to the Final Four as a No. 1 seed in 2015, 2017, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025.
Notes from Clemson
- Clemson’s 17th NCAA Tournament appearance is the program’s second appearance in the last quarter of a century.
- The Tigers return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in seven years.
- Clemson’s 17th all‑time bid is just the program’s third NCAA Tournament appearance since 2002.
- This is the first NCAA Tournament Appearance of the Coach Poppie Era.
Women’s Tournament Bracket
