School spirit just might win games. Over the past few years, South Carolina's women’s college basketball program has been dominating on its home court.
The Gamecocks have won 34 straight contests at Colonial Life Arena, tied for the most in the nation with Connecticut, and haven’t lost there since Feb. 2013. It’s no coincidence that the Gamecocks’ dominance at home has coincided with South Carolina’s rise to prominence, with the team earning the top-seed in the NCAA tournament in back-to-back seasons.
Head coach Dawn Staley’s program finally had a chance to use its clear home court advantage this past weekend when hosting the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament for the first time since Colonial Life Arena opened in 2002.
The Gamecocks took full advantage of staying at home and routed Savannah State and Syracuse in front of crowds of more than 10,000 fans each.
“The entire atmosphere was incredible,” Staley said after South Carolina’s 97-68 win over Syracuse. “I’m hoping our players cherish this moment because it was made special, not just by their play, but by the people that came out and supported us in great numbers.”
During the regular-season, South Carolina led the country in home attendance, with more than 12,540 spectators on average.
That spirited atmosphere carried over into the the postseason, and the Gamecock faithful were particularly loud when South Carolina faced Syracuse Sunday with a trip to the Sweet 16 on the line.
Syracuse lost by just four points to South Carolina earlier this season when the two teams met in the Bahamas, but things were very different when the Orange was forced to play in a hostile environment.
“When we were in the Bahamas, we didn’t really have a crowd of our own. Both of us just played,” Syracuse sophomore guard Cornelia Fondren said. “But I think being in their home, I think it gave them a lot of energy."
South Carolina should continue to capitalize off of its crowd’s energy when traveling to close-by Greensboro, North Carolina for the Sweet 16 Friday.
The Gamecocks will face fourth-seeded North Carolina, and that win would put South Carolina in the Elite Eight.
The Gamecocks were very excited when the bracket was announced last week and they found out they were placed in the Greensboro region. Now that her team has taken care of business at home, Staley is hoping that the South Carolina crowd can give them a home-like feel in Greensboro.
“I think it’s really important,” Staley said. “Our players have grown accustomed to playing in large crowds, and here our fans cheer us on. So hopefully, our fans won’t disappoint, and come up to Greensboro in numbers like they were here.”