Key takeaways from ESPN’s latest bracketology projections for Gamecocks WBB
Selection Sunday is less than a month away. As such, it’s time to start taking a real look at the various NCAA Tournament projections for Dawn Staley and the No. 3 South Carolina women’s basketball program.
The Gamecocks are coming off a big win in Baton Rouge on Valentine’s Day. South Carolina (25-2, 11-1 SEC) beat then-No. 6 LSU 79-72.
ESPN pundit Charlie Creme has South Carolina as one of the four No. 1 seeds in his latest bracketology projection, released Tuesday morning. The Gamecocks are ranked third overall by Creme — behind UConn and UCLA — and would host the first two rounds of the tournament in Columbia before playing the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight rounds in “Fort Worth Region 3,” should they advance. The NCAA Tournament regionals are being played in Forth Worth and Sacramento this year.
This matches up with where South Carolina is in the NCAA Tournament selection committee’s first Top 16 that was released Saturday.
A look at the region
ESPN’s bracketology is just a projection, but if it holds, South Carolina could run into a few familiar faces during the NCAA Tournament.
As of Tuesday, South Carolina has played, or will play, five teams in the Fort Worth 3 Region this season. Those teams are No. 8 seed Southern Cal, No. 5 seed Ole Miss, No. 12 seed Clemson, No. 7 seed Georgia and No. 2 seed Louisville.
Since the Gamecocks are a projected No. 1 seed, they would host four teams in Columbia. USC’s first round matchup would be the winner of a First Four game between No. 16 seed Howard and Eastern Kentucky, according to ESPN’s projection. The Gamecocks would likely win that game and then play the winner of No. 8 Southern Cal and No. 9 Villanova in the Round of 32.
There is a world where No. 12 Clemson pulls off a few upsets and could face South Carolina in the Sweet 16 in Fort Worth. Clemson, in ESPN’s projections, would need to survive a First Four game with No. 12 Colorado, beat No. 5 Ole Miss and then beat the winner of No. 4 Ohio State/No. 13 Vermont .
The toughest opponent in South Carolina’s ESPN bracketology region projects to be No. 2 seed Louisville. South Carolina beat Louisville 79-77 earlier this season, but the Cardinals have only gotten better since. Louisville is one of the best teams in the ACC this year and is currently ranked No. 8 in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll.
Region 3 - Fort Worth
Here’s a quick look at the entire Forth Worth 3 Region from ESPN’s latest bracketology projections:
Columbia
No. 1 South Carolina
No. 16 Howard/No. 16 E. Kentucky
No. 8 Southern Cal
No. 9 Villanova
Columbus
No. 5 Ole Miss
No. 12 Colorado/No. 12 Clemson
No. 4 Ohio State
No. 13 Vermont
College Park
No. 6 Baylor
No. 11 Columbia
No. 3 Maryland
No. 4 W. Illinois
Louisville
No. 7 Georgia
No. 10 Rhode Island
No. 2 Louisville
No. 15 Navy
