South Carolina No. 1 overall seed in NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament

Daybreak Staley has South Carolina six wins away from ending off a historic season.

The Gamecocks need to change into the tenth girls’s basketball crew to go undefeated for a whole season because the they enter the NCAA Match because the No. 1 general seed.

Staley’s squad has been challenged a number of occasions this yr however has at all times pulled by way of. The defending nationwide champions will play Norfolk State within the first spherical of the match, the NCAA choice committee revealed Sunday night time.

“It didn’t take a loss for us to be taught from the teachings of an in depth recreation,” Staley mentioned. “Now we discovered ourselves ready the place we will’t afford to lose.”

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Whereas the Gamecocks, led by star Aliyah Boston, have been a lock to be the highest seed for many of the season, a number of colleges had been vying for the opposite No. 1s, together with Iowa, Indiana, Virginia Tech, Stanford and Utah. The Hawkeyes, led by electrifying guard Caitlin Clark, have been a high seed twice earlier than, in 1988 and 1992.

The committee finally selected the Hoosiers, Hokies and Cardinal. Indiana and Virginia Tech are first-time No. 1 seeds. Stanford has been a high seed 13 occasions now, together with within the final three tournaments.

“We spent quite a lot of time on quite a lot of issues. definitely the primary line and the proper groups internet hosting,” choice committee chair Lisa Peterson mentioned.

The match begins Wednesday with two First 4 video games. The complete insanity begins with 16 video games Friday and 16 extra the following day.

South Carolina could have the simplest path to the Last 4 in Dallas because it will not need to go removed from dwelling. The Gamecocks, who’re the 18th crew to succeed in the NCAA tourney unbeaten, will play their first two video games on campus earlier than doubtlessly heading 90 minutes away to Greenville, South Carolina, for one of many two regionals. The Gamecocks simply gained the Southeastern Convention Match at that web site.

South Carolina’s Aliyah Boston holds up the championship trophy after defeating Tennessee 74-58 to win the championship recreation of the Southeastern Convention girls’s match in Greenville, S.C., Sunday, March 5, 2023. (AP Picture/Mic Smith)

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“It’s nice. After we received shipped out to Stockton (California, in 2017), we thought it was a drag, however we find yourself successful the nationwide championship. So there are blessings in all sorts of conditions,” Staley mentioned. “We’re blessed that Greenville was a area. We’re blessed that we did sufficient to get to despatched to this area and we have now to make it work for us. We all know it gained’t be straightforward.”

The NCAA modified its format this season and is having two regional websites for the Candy 16 and Elite Eight rounds. Greenville hosts one and Seattle the opposite. As soon as once more the highest 4 groups in every area will host the opening two rounds.

The opposite high groups in South Carolina’s bracket are No. 2 seed Maryland, No. 3 Notre Dame and No. 4 UCLA. The Gamecocks beat each Maryland and UCLA this season.

“I prefer it. Some familiarity. Deal with Norfolk State, then see the place that takes us,” Staley mentioned. “I don’t need to put the cart earlier than the horse. Generally whenever you’re in a match setting like this it’s at all times an excellent factor to have performed somebody.”

Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder, middle, hoists the trophy with assist from guard Caitlin Clark, left, after they defeated Ohio State in an NCAA faculty basketball championship recreation on the Massive Ten girls’s match Sunday, March 5, 2023, in Minneapolis. (AP Picture/Bruce Kluckhohn)

Indiana is the opposite high seed in Greenville. Utah is the two seed with LSU third and Villanova fourth.

UConn, which was the final crew to go unbeaten and win the title in 2015-16, is seeking to lengthen its personal historical past and attain the Last 4 for the fifteenth consecutive yr. The Huskies had a troublesome yr with accidents however lastly began to get wholesome heading into March. Star guard Azzi Fudd, who missed 22 video games with a knee harm, returned for the Massive East Match and helped the Huskies win it.

Geno Auriemma’s crew, which has gained a report 11 nationwide championships, is a No. 2 seed in Seattle. The Hokies are the highest seed in that a part of the bracket. Ohio State is the three seed and Tennessee the 4. The Woman Vols have been in each NCAA Match because it began in 1982.

The Cardinal are the No. 1 within the different Seattle regional. Iowa is the No. 2, Duke the three seed and Texas 4.

The Atlantic Coast Convention has eight groups within the match with the Massive Ten, SEC and Pac-12 every having seven. The Massive 12 has six and the Massive East 5.

4 groups will probably be making their first look within the match: Southern Utah, Southeastern Louisiana, Sacramento State and Saint Louis.

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Columbia, Kansas, Massachusetts and Oregon had been the primary 4 groups out of the sector.