South-Carolina
What to know about Las Vegas Aces, including A’ja Wilson, ahead of game at South Carolina
A’ja Wilson on why she’s confident South Carolina can win it all this year
South Carolina women’s basketball is having another dominant season and A’ja Wilson explains why she think’s they can go all the way in this years tournament.
COLUMBIA — The two-time WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces will play a preseason game in Colonial Life Arena on Saturday against Team Puerto Rico. Game time is 1 p.m.
Led by former South Carolina women’s basketball star forward A’ja Wilson, the Aces will close their preseason in the home arena of the 2024 NCAA champions.
From Wilson to coach Becky Hammon and guard Kelsey Plum, here’s five things to know about the Aces before Saturday’s game.
Aces forward A’ja Wilson returns home
Wilson grew up in Columbia and is South Carolina women’s basketball most decorated player.
Wilson was on the team that won the program’s first NCAA title in 2017 and was named MVP of the tournament that year. In her senior season, she was selected the consensus National Player of the Year, All-America First Team, SEC Player of the Year and SEC co-Defensive Player of the Year.
Wilson holds the program’s career records in points (2,389), blocked shots (363), free throws made (597) and free throws attempted (835).
In 2018, she was the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA draft. Her success continued at the professional level with the Aces.
Wilson has won two WNBA championships with the Aces and was named finals MVP in 2023. Wilson is a two-time league MVP (2020, 2022), two-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year and a five time WNBA All-Star.
Aces coach Becky Hammon transforming the WNBA
After spending time coaching in the NBA with the San Antonio Spurs, where she became the first full-time female assistant in the league, Hammon took over as coach of the Aces in 2021. Hammon and the Aces won back-to-back WNBA championships in 2022 and 2023.
She was named Coach of the Year in 2022. In her first two seasons, she had a 60-16 (.789) record in the regular season and lost only three playoff games in two years.
Hammon played 16 seasons in the WNBA and was a six-time All-Star. In 2016, had her jersey was retired by the San Antonio Stars (now the Aces). She also played for the New York Liberty.
Aces point guard Kelsey Plum’s work with WNBA rookies
Plum, 29, has dominated the college level and WNBA for nearly a decade and is now working with many young players ahead of the WNBA season. Plum began her “Dawg’s Class” in partnership with Under Armor in 2023. Gamecocks guard Raven Johnson was part of the first class in 2023 and again in 2024 along with South Carolina sophomore MiLaysia Fulwiley.
Becky Hammon and Dawn Staley say ‘nobody wants to play us’
After revealing that the Gamecocks’ 2024 season will start in Las Vegas, coach Dawn Staley said that its been difficult forming a schedule because nobody wants to play South Carolina. To Aces reporters, Hammon said something similar.
“We couldn’t get anyone to play us,” Hammon said.
The Aces won the past two WNBA championships, and Staley won her second title in three years with the Gamecocks in April.
REQUIRED READING: How WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces, A’ja Wilson scheduled preseason game vs Puerto Rico at South Carolina
Former Iowa star, South Carolina rival Kate Martin looks to make Aces roster
Former Iowa guard Kate Martin was drafted by the Aces on April 15 and is hoping to make the final roster.
In the 2024 NCAA championship game, Martin scored 16 points and had five rebounds against South Carolina. In the Gamecocks’ 2023 Final Four loss to the Hawkeyes, Martin had seven points and seven rebounds.
Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at lkesin@gannett.com and follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @Lulukesin
Players to watch in the 2026 Women’s NCAA March Madness Tournament
USAT’s Sam Cardona-Norberg and Meghan Hall give a few of their favorite players they will be keeping an eye on in the women’s March Madness tournament.
Sports Seriously
South Carolina and TCU will battle in the Elite Eight of the Women’s NCAA Tournament on Monday (9 p.m. ET, ESPN) in Sacramento, California.
The No. 1 Gamecocks are the top seeded team in the Sacramento 4 regional and aiming to make their sixth consecutive Final Four appearance under coach Dawn Staley. South Carolina, winner of three national championships under Staley, won the SEC regular season title but fell in the title game of the conference tournament to Texas.
The Gamecocks advanced to the Elite Eight by beating Oklahoma 94-68 behind 28 points from Ta’Niya Latson. Sophomore forward Joyce Edwards has powered the Gamecocks this season with 19.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game.
No. 3 TCU is in the Elite Eight for the second straight season under coach Mark Campbell. The Horned Frogs won the regular season title in the Big 12, but fell in the title game of the conference tournament to West Virginia.
TCU advanced to the regional final by defeating Staley’s alma mater, Virginia, 79-69 on Saturday night behind a career-high 33 points from Marta Suarez. Notre Dame transfer Olivia Miles has been the bus driver for TCU this season, averaging 19.4 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game.
A victory for TCU would mark the program’s first trip to the Final Four. TCU has not played a team from the SEC this season.
The winner of this matchup will advance to the Final Four in Phoenix at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 1.
What time is South Carolina vs. TCU Elite Eight NCAA game?
- Date: Monday, March 30
- Time: 9 p.m. ET
- Location: Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California
The South Carolina Gamecocks play the TCU Horned Frogs in the Elite Eight of the Women’s NCAA Tournament at 9 p.m. ET on Monday, March 30 in Sacramento, California.
South Carolina vs. TCU: TV, streaming
The No. 57 Razorbacks move to 11-10 (2-9) on the season after picking up a win against No. 27 South Carolina 9-10 (2-9).
The Hogs won the doubles point. No. 39 Carolina Gomez and Anet Koskel defeated No. 9 Helena Buchwald and Lauren Friedman, 6-3. Jimena Gomez and Alexandra Panagiotidou took down Sara Borkop and Jane Dunyon, 6-1.
The Razorbacks stayed hot during singles. No. 39 Carolina Gomez defeated No. 56 Kaitlyn Carnicella 7(7)-6(1), 3-6, 6-3 to seal the win. Alexandra Panagiotidou took down Taylor Goetz, 6-3, 6-3. Jimena Gomez defeated Jane Dunyon, 7-5, 6-3. Brooke Schafer fell to No. 52 Helena Buchwald, 7(7)-6(3), 6-2.
The Hogs will be back in action on Friday in Colombia, MO when they take on Missouri at 11:30 a.m.
Results from the match will be available on the women’s tennis schedule page.
For the latest information on all things Arkansas Women’s Tennis, follow the Hogs on social media by liking us on Facebook (Arkansas Razorback Women’s Tennis) and following us on Twitter and Instagram (@RazorbackWTEN).
SACRAMENTO, CA — No. 3 TCU took down No. 10 Virginia in the Sweet 16, preventing South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley from coaching against her college team in the Elite Eight of the Women’s NCAA Tournament.
The No. 1 seeded Gamecocks (34-3) will play the No. 3 seeded Horned Frogs (32-5) on March 30 (9 p.m. ET, ESPN) in Golden 1 Center.
South Carolina beat No. 4 seed Oklahoma 94-68 in the Sweet 16 before TCU beat Virginia 79-69.
The only time these two teams met was in 2024 when South Carolina won 85-52.
Dawn Staley has only coached against TCU once
This will be somewhat of an unfamiliar matchup for Staley, who has only coached one game against TCU, and the 2024-25 roster was much different than what she’ll see on March 30.
Last year’s TCU team was powered by players like Hailey Van Lith and Sedona Prince. Now it’s Olivia Miles who is running the show.
Only one starter from last year’s team returned, and TCU added six transfer players.
Coach Mark Campbell is in his third season but has been to two of the last three NCAA Tournaments. Last year the Horned Frogs lost to Texas in the Elite Eight.
Olivia Miles is TCU’s star point guard
Olivia Miles transferred to TCU from Notre Dame in a shocking offseason move after Miles was projected as a top-5 WNBA draft pick.
The senior guard is averaging 19.4 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.6 assists, coming off 28 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists in the Sweet 16.
She’s fifth in the nation in assists, 42nd in double-doubles with 12 total, and leads the nation in triple doubles with six.
Miles wasn’t healthy and didn’t play for Notre Dame against South Carolina in the 2023-24 season opener, so this is Staley’s first time scouting against one of the nation’s top ball handlers.
Marta Suarez, Clara Silva vs Joyce Edwards, Madina Okot
After fighting through Oklahoma’s post defense, South Carolina’s post players have a new challenge in TCU’s Marta Suarez. The 6-foot-3 Suarez is averaging 16.8 points and 7.4 rebounds, coming off 33 points and 10 rebounds in Sweet 16.
She’s tied with Miles with 12 double-doubles.
Clara Silva, 6-foot-7 center, is in her first season with TCU after one with Kentucky last year. Silva won’t be impacted by the SEC’s physicality given her freshman year experience and is averaging 9.3 points and 7.4 rebounds for TCU.
She didn’t score against South Carolina last year at Kentucky but had two assists and a steal in seven minutes of action.
TCU leads Big 12 in points allowed, rebounds and point differential
The Horned Frogs have the top defense in the Big 12, allowing an average of 55.9 points per game. They are also first in rebounds with 41.7 per game and in point differential at +21.4.
South Carolina vs TCU prediction in Elite Eight
South Carolina 84, TCU 72: This could be the closest game for South Carolina this tournament and will come down to execution. But despite almost three 100-point games, the Gamecocks say they still have room to grow with their best basketball left to play.
Raven Johnson vs Olivia Miles will be the main guard matchup, with Clara Silva vs Madina Okot at the center spot and Marta Suarez vs Joyce Edwards. So expect players like Tessa Johnson or Ta’Niya Latson to try to step up for Staley.
Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at LKesin@usatodayco.com. Follow her on X@Lulukesin and Bluesky@bylulukesin.bsky.social
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