Dawn Staley’s South Carolina Gamecocks continue to cement their place among college basketball’s elite, climbing in the latest NCAA Tournament bracketology update as they chase a sixth consecutive Final Four appearance.
Sitting at 25-2 overall and 10-1 in SEC play — the best record in the conference — South Carolina remains a lock as a No. 1 seed in ESPN bracketologist Charlie Creme’s latest projections. More notably, the Gamecocks have jumped from the fourth to the third overall seed on the one-line, a movement that aligns with their placement in the first official NCAA top 16 reveal.
The shift carries real practical significance. South Carolina moves from a projected regional site in Sacramento, California, to Fort Worth, Texas — cutting travel distance roughly in half. Perhaps more importantly, the new seeding would push any hypothetical matchup against the No. 1 overall seed, currently UConn, all the way to the national championship game.
Tournament Bracket Outlook
Per Creme’s projections, South Carolina’s path through the bracket could begin with the winner of a first-round play-in between Howard and Eastern Kentucky as a potential 16-seed opponent. Rounding out the Gamecocks’ projected region are Notre Dame (8), Villanova (9), Nebraska (10), Princeton (11), Green Bay (12), Vermont (13), Idaho (14), Navy (15), Louisville (2), Iowa (3), Michigan State (4), Kentucky (5), Baylor (6), and Texas Tech (7).
South Carolina has already beaten Louisville this season and will face Kentucky in the regular-season finale, giving the Gamecocks familiarity with two of their most likely tournament rivals.
SEC Race Still in Hand
The Gamecocks currently hold a two-game cushion in the loss column over Texas, Vanderbilt, and Tennessee in the SEC standings. Securing the regular-season conference title would only bolster their resume heading into Selection Sunday.
Upcoming Schedule
South Carolina faces two ranked opponents this week. On Thursday, February 19, the Gamecocks travel to Tuscaloosa to take on No. 25 Alabama at 8:30 p.m. ET on the SEC Network, with streaming available via the ESPN app. The Crimson Tide dropped to 25th in the rankings following back-to-back losses.
Then on Sunday, February 22, the spotlight comes to Columbia as No. 17 Ole Miss visits Colonial Life Arena for a noon tip. College GameDay will broadcast live from campus starting at 11:00 a.m. ET on ESPN, with the game airing on ESPN or ESPN2 and streaming on the ESPN app.
