How to watch South Carolina basketball’s first round NCAA matchup against Oregon
It’s do-or-die time. The South Carolina men’s basketball program and its fan base waited seven years for a return to March Madness, and it’s finally arrived.
Here’s what to expect for the first-round NCAA Tournament matchup for the Gamecocks and the Oregon Ducks.
How to watch
Who: No. 6 South Carolina (27-6) vs. No. 11 Oregon (23-11)
When: Thursday, March 21 at 4 p.m. (EST)
Where: PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh
TV Channel: TNT (Andrew Calaton, pbp; Steve Lapas, color; Evan Washburn, reporter)
Stream: Paramount Plus or Max app
Radio in Columbia area: 107.5 FM The Game
Series history: This is the first time USC and Oregon men’s basketball have faced off.
Three keys to the game for Gamecocks
- Getting the jitters out: USC’s roster is inexperienced in the NCAA Tournament, so it’s expected the Gamecocks could have some nerves in the game’s first few minutes. Getting any nervous mistakes out of the way and relaxing into the game flow sooner will allow Oregon less time to pounce early on.
- Quality shot selection: South Carolina didn’t shoot well during the SEC Tournament, so getting its shots to fall in the Big Dance will be key to start on the right foot. USC hovered around 40% from the field but shot back-to-back games with 25% or lower from the 3-point line. Getting quality looks from the arc can help give an extra boost to USC’s offense.
- Stay out of foul trouble: A straight-forward point, but keeping USC’s big out of foul trouble early could be a game changer in the second half. Oregon has a prolific scoring 7-footer in N’Faly Dante, and keeping Collin Murray-Boyles, Josh Gray and BJ Mack in the second half with only one or two personal fouls can keep those physical bodies in the paint long-term.
Betting odds
South Carolina is a 1.5-point favorite in the point spread ahead of Thursday’s first-round matchup, according to ESPN. The over/under is set for 133.5 points.
NCAA storylines
- A former Gamecock returns: Oregon guard Jermaine Couisnard plays against his former program for the first time since transferring to the Ducks in 2021. Couisnard is Oregon’s leading scorer and will reunite with former teammates Jacobi Wright and Josh Gray.
- Healthy Gamecocks: Myles Stute and Ta’Lon Cooper both are expected to return after suffering injuries during the SEC Tournament. Head coach Lamont Paris said the pair received treatment over the weekend for their respective injuries, and both practiced heading into Thursday’s game.
- Playing in Pittsburgh: Paris is coaching in his second NCAA appearance in three seasons, with his debut head coaching game also played in the Pittsburgh regional. Paris is 0-1 as a head coach in March Madness, while Oregon head coach Dana Altman is undefeated in the first round of the NCAA Tournament as a head coach at 7-0.
