Gamecocks Grab Fifth Straight No. 1 Seed in NCAA Tournament
COLUMBIA, S.C. – For the fifth straight season, South Carolina women’s basketball has earned an NCAA Tournament No. 1 seed. Making their 13th straight appearance at the event, the Gamecocks are the No. 1 seed in the Birmingham 2 Regional. They will host first- and second-round games at Colonial Life Arena this weekend.
In the First Round, the reigning National Champion Gamecocks (30-3) will play No. 16 seed Tennessee Tech (26-5) on Friday, Mar. 21. No. 8 seed Utah (22-8) and No. 9 seed Indiana (19-12) will also square off at Colonial Life Arena on Friday. The winner of those two games will meet on Sun., Mar. 23.
The Gamecocks were awarded the second No. 1 seed in the tournament after entering the week ranked No. 2 in both national polls. South Carolina claimed both the SEC Regular-Season and Tournament titles, sweeping the two for the third-straight season and the seventh time in the last 11 seasons. After putting together the toughest schedule in the nation, according to the NET rankings, she led South Carolina to its fourth-straight 30-win season and the eighth 30-win campaign in her 17 seasons in Columbia. The Gamecocks’ 19 Quad 1 games are the most in the country and include six non-conference regular-season outings. Their 16 Quad 1 wins are also the most in the nation.
This is the 21st all-time NCAA Tournament bid for the Gamecocks, who have won three National Championships (2017, 2022, 2024) and played in three other Final Fours in the last nine tournaments. South Carolina has played in a total of 14 Sweet 16s and advanced to the Elite Eight eight times. The Gamecocks are 50-17 all-time in the event, including a 42-9 mark under head coach Dawn Staley.
This marks the Gamecocks’ ninth regional No. 1 seed all-time after earning the position in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. South Carolina advanced to the Final Four as a No. 1 seed in 2015, 2017, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.
Ticket booklets for the first- and second-round games can be purchased online at: https://am.ticketmaster.com/gamecocks/buy/virtual-venue/V0IyNUFTQg== or by calling the Gamecock Ticket Office at 800-472-3267.
Single-session tickets first- or second-round games will go on sale on Mon., March 17, at 10 a.m. ET.
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