No. 1 South Carolina faces HBCU team in NCAA Tournament once again: ‘It’s a blessing’
South Carolina hosted an HBCU to open March Madness last season. The Gamecocks get to do it again this year.
The No. 1 USC women’s basketball team (32-0) will open its title defense in Columbia against 16-seed Norfolk State on Friday (2 p.m., ESPN) in Colonial Life Arena.
Norfolk State (26-6) won the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference regular season with an 11-3 record. It defeated Howard in the tournament championship game, 56-52.
USC head coach Dawn Staley, who coached against Howard in last year’s tournament, believes the exposure drawn from the matchup will be beneficial to Norfolk State’s program.
“We’re fortunate to play an HBCU on the biggest stage,” Staley said. “We’re the number one overall seed. There’s so much publicity that’s going to be drawn to our game.”
Norfolk State is coached by MEAC Coach of the Year Larry Vickers, who has led the Spartans since 2015.
Vickers recalls watching the Gamecocks on numerous occasions this season while having team dinners. He referenced USC’s game against Clemson in November, which featured Ashlyn Watkins’ historic fast break dunk.
“Everybody was like, ‘We’re not gonna let her get a dunk!’ ” Vickers said. “Just things like that. We’re a lot more familiar with their program than they are with ours.”
The Spartans have the two All-MEAC first team performers, Camille Downs and Deja Francis, on the roster. Downs won MEAC Defensive Player of the Year.
Both players understand the challenge that lies ahead against the defending champions, but they have their eyes set on delivering a good performance.
“It’s a blessing, all in all,” Francis said. “Just thinking how hard we’re gonna have to work to pull off whatever we can going into this game.”
The Spartans last played in the NCAA Tournament in 2002, losing to Duke in the first round as a 16-seed.
This year’s team had the belief throughout the season that it was the best in the MEAC and that it would be able to end the drought. As a team from a one-bid conference, it knew a three-day run in the MEAC Tournament was crucial.
“We’ve been mentally prepared since the tournament started,” Downs said.
The Gamecocks have some postseason experience against the MEAC.
South Carolina faced Howard in the first round last year, winning 79-21. The Bison beat Norfolk State in last year’s MEAC championship game and won the First Four game against Incarnate Word.
The Gamecocks played against North Carolina A&T in the first round of the 2018 NCAA Tournament, when the Aggies were still part of the MEAC. USC played Savannah State — formerly of the MEAC and now with the SIAC — in 2015.
The top 16 seeds in women’s basketball host the first two rounds of the tournament, so Norfolk State is the de facto road team in Columbia.
“I didn’t realize how at home they were until I walked through the building and I saw the picture of (Staley) on the wall,” Vickers said in reference to the images of USC’s head coach inside Colonial Life Arena.
Staley said she expects the Spartans to continue their style of play. She’s prepping for a blend of zone coverages and one-on-one defense.
Norfolk State leads the nation in scoring defense, only allowing 50 points per game.
“They’re gonna come in here ready to rock and roll and do what they’ve done all season long,” Staley said. “We have to be prepared.”
No. 8 South Florida and No. 9 Marquette are also playing in Columbia on Friday, and their game will begin at 11:30 a.m. (ESPN2). The winner faces the South Carolina-Norfolk State winner on Sunday.
The Gamecocks will continue their preparation for the Spartans and also appreciate the chance to host an HBCU.
“I think it’s a great experience and I hope that our community shows them, as well as South Florida and Marquette, a lot of Southern love,” Staley said.
This story was originally published March 16, 2023 at 5:50 PM.
