Gamecocks named no. 1 seed in WBB Tournament for fifth straight season, draw Tennessee Tech in Round 1 (AUDIO)

The NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament field was revealed, Sunday, and South Carolina was named the no. 1 seed in the Birmingham 2 portion of the bracket.

The Gamecocks were not named the no. 1 overall seed. That honor goes to Big Ten Champion UCLA.

South Carolina (30-3) will host 16th-seeded Tennessee Tech, Friday. Utah (8-seed) and Indiana (9-seed) will also be in Columbia. The winners of those two games will meet in Columbia, Sunday.

If the Gamecocks advance out of Columbia, they will play in Birmingham, Ala. The other Regional Final is in Spokane, Wash. The Final Four will take place in Tampa, Fla., on April 4th and 6th.

Duke (2-seed), North Carolina (3-seed) and Maryland (4-seed) are three of the top threats in Birmingham 2.

Texas and Southern Cal were the other no. 1 seeds. UConn, one of three teams to defeat the Gamecocks, is a 2-seed and is in Southern Cal’s portion of the bracket.

South Carolina, the defending national champions, finished with the top-ranked strength of schedule and the highest number of Quad 1 wins (16), two critical factors that helped them earn a no. 1 seed for the fifth straight season and ninth time overall.

The Gamecocks are in search of their seventh trip to the Final Four and fourth NCAA Tournament Championship under head coach Dawn Staley.

Dawn Staley press conference