Final Bracketology projections for USC as Selection Sunday arrives

The big day has arrived.

The Gamecocks are 22-10 after a 12-6 regular season record in the SEC. They’re looking for their first trip to the Big Dance since 2004. This year’s NCAA Selection Show is 5:30 p.m. Sunday on CBS.

USC ranks 43rd in RPI, up one from 44 the day before.

The projections

▪  ESPN’s Joe Lunardi dropped the Gamecocks one notch to a No. 8 seed, still in Salt Lake City in the Midwest Region. They would face No. 9 Oklahoma State, with No. 1 Gonzaga and No. 16 South Dakota State in the other matchup.

▪  CBS’s Jerry Palm held South Carolina as a No. 9 seed and now has the Gamecocks in Buffalo facing No. 8 Northwestern. No. 1 Villanova or a to-be-determined No. 16 seed would be waiting for the winner.

▪  USA Today moved USC up one spot to a No. 8 seed, facing No. 9 VCU in Greenville. The other game there features No. 1 Duke vs. No. 16 UC Davis or New Orleans.

▪  FoxSports’ Stewart Mandel now projects the Gamecocks playing in Buffalo as a No. 9 seed against No. 8 Miami. Villanova is No. 1 there, facing a No. 16 seed that would either be NC Central or Mount St. Mary’s.

▪  According to BracketMatrix.com, factoring in 114 bracket projections, South Carolina is an average seed of 8.77, down from 7.66 a day ago.

This story was originally published March 12, 2017 at 8:41 AM with the headline "Final Bracketology projections for USC as Selection Sunday arrives."