No one who has followed women's college basketball had any questions as to which team would receive the #1-overall seed in this year's NCAA Tournament. As the only undefeated team in the nation, Dawn Staley's South Carolina basketball squad has been ranked at the top of the polls since the second week of the season.
Carolina wasn't expected to be so dominant this year. Considered by many to be in a "rebuilding season" after losing so many contributors from last year's team (all 5 starters plus 2 bench contributors), the Gamecocks have retooled and reloaded to be the best team in the land once again.
Coach Staley already has been named the SEC Coach of the Year and is a semifinalist for the Naismith National Coach of the Year honor, as well. Her players were well-represented on the All-SEC teams, and Kamilla Cardoso and Te-Hina Paopao are still in the running for bigger awards.
The Gamecocks are in hot pursuit of the 10th undefeated season ever in women's college basketball (UConn x 6, Tennessee, Texas, and Baylor have the others) as they are looking to avenge their loss in last year's Final Four to Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes.
When the Selection Sunday show revealed the Gamecocks' draw at the beginning of their broadcast, it was revealed that USC would get the winner of the play-in game between the Sacred Heart Pioneers and the Presbyterian Blue Hose. South Carolina basketball already played Presbyterian earlier this season, a 99-29 beatdown at Colonial Life Arena back in December.
The first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament are hosted by the top-16 seeds in the Big Dance, so the Gamecocks will get their opening two games at Colonial Life Arena. With strong fan numbers in those games, USC has a chance to break the all-time attendance records for average attendance (Tennessee back in the 1998-1999 season) and total attendance (their own record from 2014-2015).
If/When Carolina gets through their first game, they will play against the winner of the North Carolina Tar Heels and Michigan State Spartans. North Carolina gavethe Gamecocks one of their toughest games all season.
Also included in South Carolina's region are the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Oregon State Beavers, Indiana Hoosiers, Oklahoma Sooners, Nebraska Cornhuskers, Ole Miss Rebels, Marquette Golden Eagles, Texas A&M Aggies, Floriga Gulf Coast Eagles, Fairfield Stags, Eastern Washington Eagles, and Kent State Golden Flashes.
You can view the entire March Madness bracket here.