South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley and her Gamecocks clinched a share of the SEC regular season title for the fourth consecutive year and the fifth time in the past six seasons. In a traditional fashion, USC secured the No. 1 seed in the SEC Tournament through a coin flip over the Texas Longhorns, a team with which the Gamecocks were tied in the SEC standings.
Following their victory over Kentucky on Sunday, South Carolina improved to a 27-3 overall record and 15-1 in conference play. After two top-10 losses within eight days, the Gamecocks ended the regular season with four straight wins. The Associated Press recognized the team’s return to form by rewarding them with a place in the top rankings.
- Texas Longhorns (25)
- Southern Cal Trojans (6)
- UConn Huskies
- UCLA Bruins
- South Carolina Gamecocks
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish
- NC State Wolfpack
- TCU Horned Frogs
- LSU Tigers
- Oklahoma Sooners
- Duke Blue Devils
- Kentucky Wildcats
- Ohio State Buckeyes
- North Carolina Tar Heels
- Maryland Terrapins
- West Virginia Mountaineers
- Baylor Bears
- Tennessee Lady Volunteers
- Alabama Crimson Tide
- Kansas State Wildcats
- Oklahoma State Cowboys
- Florida State Seminoles
- Creighton Blue Jays
- Michigan State Spartans
- South Dakota State Jackrabbits
This week, the SEC Tournament will kick off in Greenville, South Carolina, with the first games taking place on Wednesday afternoon. Due to their double-bye in the tournament, the Gamecocks will not play until Friday.
When USC steps onto the court at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on Friday, they will face either the Texas A&M Aggies, Tennessee Lady Volunteers, or Vanderbilt Commodores. Texas A&M and Tennessee will square off in the first round, with the winner advancing to play Vanderbilt in the second round. The victor of that match will then have the opportunity to take on South Carolina.
If the Gamecocks advance past the quarterfinals, they will face the Kentucky Wildcats’ side of the bracket. While South Carolina works through their part of the bracket, the Arkansas Razorbacks, Georgia Bulldogs, and Oklahoma Sooners will compete with Kentucky for a spot in the semifinals.
Ultimately, many anticipate a rematch between South Carolina and the Texas Longhorns for the SEC Tournament title. The Longhorns are ranked No. 1 in the latest AP poll and split their season series with the Gamecocks.
