South Carolina women's basketball has been named one of four No. 1 seeds in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. It's the sixth consecutive season the team has earned a top seed, and the Gamecocks will lead the Regional 4 in Sacramento, California.
Both of the team's first- and second-round games in the tournament will take place at Colonial Life Arena. Action will kick off Saturday, March 21, at 1 p.m. when South Carolina will host the winner of Thursday's First Four game between Southern and Samford. The Gamecocks' first game will air on ABC.
Assuming a first-round victory, South Carolina will face off against one of either No. 8 seed Clemson or No. 9 seed Southern Cal. Those two teams will also play Saturday at Colonial Life Arena.
South Carolina defeated both teams earlier this season: Clemson 65-37 on Nov. 11 and Southern Cal 69-52 on Nov. 15. The second round will be played on Monday, March 23. Game times and television designations for those games are yet to be announced.
The Gamecocks spent the entire season ranked in the top five of both the AP and coaches polls. The team won the Southeastern Conference regular-season title after posting a record of 15-1 in conference play. In the SEC championship game, Texas defeated South Carolina 78-61. The Gamecocks had previously won three straight.
In each of the past five seasons as a No. 1 seed, the Gamecocks have advanced to the Final Four. This year, the team is on a collision course with fellow No. 1 seed UConn. The two schools would face off in the Final Four, assuming each team wins its respective region. The Gamecocks were bested by the Huskies 82-59 in last year's NCAA Women's National Championship on April 6.