• South Carolina guard Te-Hina Paopao recorded four blocks in a win against Indiana, earning her a spot in the Gamecocks’ “seatbelt gang.”
• The “seatbelt gang,” which originated with guards Bree Hall and Raven Johnson, prides itself on its defensive prowess.
• South Carolina coach Dawn Staley emphasizes defense, creating a culture where players strive to excel on that end of the court.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The “seatbelt gang” originated with South Carolina women’s basketball guards Bree Hall and Raven Johnson. But after the Gamecocks’ 64-53 win Sunday over No. 9 Indiana, a new member has been inducted: Te-Hina Paopao.

The 5-foot-9 starting senior guard tallied four blocks against a Hoosiers team that trotted out eight players with an average height of 6 feet.

“Y’all see that? I’m really proud of myself. I had more blocks than 3s today,” Paopao said in the postgame news conference.

She then suggested she could now be part of the Gamecocks’ self-named “seatbelt gang.”

“The seatbelt gang is locking people up and putting them in a seat,” Johnson said. “They can’t get past us.”

Hall and Johnson agreed that with her performance against Indiana, Paopao officially earned her spot in the seatbelt gang. In her previous 34 games this season, she totaled just nine blocks.

“We were in the hallway before (Sunday’s) game, and she switched shoes,” Hall said. “She said, ‘These are not my defensive shoes, I got to put on my defensive shoes.’”

Paopao put on the new sneakers and burst into quick steps, saying, “Oh, yeah, I’m good.”

The Gamecocks’ defensive mindset comes from head coach Dawn Staley, who is in her 13th-straight NCAA Tournament with South Carolina.

“We’re a culture of playing defense, and if you don’t play it you stick out, and Pao is not one that wants to stick out in that way,” Staley said.

Said Johnson: “Coach is really big on defense; she tells us that we’re the best defensive team in the country.” 

The seatbelt gang develops its defensive game in practice.

“Practice is where you have to get better,” Hall said, “Our practices are harder than the games.” 

Johnson added that practices “make games so easy for us” because of their difficulty. 

“You probably don’t even want to come to our practice,” she said. “It’s that hard.”

The seatbelt gang will be looking to buckle up the winner of Alabama-Maryland in the Sweet 16 on Friday. 

Dylan Clearfield and Olivia Noni are students in the University of Georgia’s  Sports Media Certificate program.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The new chair of the Indiana Democratic Party said it’s possible to unify the party’s base while still appealing to new voters.

Former state Sen. Karen Tallian was elected party chair on March 15. In an interview with News 8 for All INdiana Politics, she said the party’s base has splintered and it’s time to bring everyone back together. Moreover, she said Democrats need to prioritize voter turnout, particularly among their own base. Even as this happens, she said she sees an opportunity to peel off voters exasperated with the direction the Republican Party has taken.

“I really believe that a lot of what’s going on right now has become so disruptive, so awful on so many different levels, that we will get to bring people back,” she said. “This is our opportunity to say, look, we are the party of working people and rational programs.”

Democrats have not won any statewide election since 2012 and have not won the governor’s race since 2000. To reverse that, Tallian said the party needs to bring people back to the table.

She said political attitudes ebb and flow over time and she expects voters will tire of Trump-style conservatism, particularly if it leads to gutting programs and services ranging from Social Security to national parks.

Tallian said the party should work to peel off disaffected Trump voters, such as some of those within organized labor. Some within the labor community have told Tallian they’re willing to come back to the Democratic camp.

“I think we can do this. I wouldn’t be sitting here if I didn’t believe the Democratic party could not do this,” she said.

The Indiana Democratic Party has been rocked in recent months by sexual harassment scandals involving two Indianapolis Democrats.

In July and August, three former staffers accused Thomas Cook, former chief of staff and chief deputy mayor under Mayor Joe Hogsett, of making unwanted sexual advances. Then, in November, a total of six former staffers accused then-Senate Minority Leader Greg Taylor of sexual harassment. Senate Democrats initially reelected Taylor to his post but later ousted him from leadership.

Tallian said the party as an organization can censure accused harassers if necessary but can do little otherwise because elected officials are responsible to voters and their caucuses, not the party organization itself. She said it’s up to the General Assembly to discipline any member accused of misconduct. As for party staff, Tallian said the Indiana Democratic Party recently updated its sexual harassment prevention policy and has a robust system in place.

All INdiana Politics airs at 9:30 a.m. Sundays on WISH-TV.

It’s South Carolina vs. Indiana in the 2025 NCAA Tournament first round. See our expert picks and predictions for the women’s March Madness bracket, along with betting odds and game time.

The 2025 NCAA women’s Tournament rolls into the second round on Sunday.

Defending national champ South Carolina, which holds a No. 1 seed, hosts No. 9 Indiana, a rematch of a Sweet 16 contest last season.

The Gamecocks (31-3) are aiming to make their 11th consecutive appearance in the Sweet 16, while the Hoosiers are looking to make the Sweet 16 for the fourth time ever and third time in the last four years.

Here’s how our experts see Sunday’s second-round game playing out. Be sure to check out USA TODAY’s complete March Madness bracket breakdown for in-depth analysis. While you’re at it, don’t forget to read our tournament upset picks and players who could make a splash.

South Carolina vs. Indiana picks and predictions

South Carolina vs. Indiana date, start time, how to watch

• Game Day: Sunday, March 23, 2025
• Game Time: 3 p.m. ET
• Location: Colonial Life Arena, Columbia, S.C.
• TV Channel: ABC
• Live Stream: Fubo – Watch Now!

Watch South Carolina vs. Indiana on Fubo

South Carolina vs. Indiana odds

Odds via BetMGM as of Saturday.

• Spread: South Carolina -22.5
• Moneyline Favorite: South Carolina -25000
• Moneyline Underdog: Indiana +3000
• Total: 136.5