Tennessee, other threats await South Carolina in Sioux Falls
Breaking down the four teams in the NCAA women’s Sioux Falls regional:
(1) SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS (33-1)
Bid: Automatic
League (record): SEC (16-0)
Coach (history): Dawn Staley (Virginia ’92; 188-75 USC, eighth year; 360-155 overall, 16th year; former coach at Temple)
NCAA tournament appearances (record): 13 (19-12)
Final Fours (years): One (2015)
National championships (years): None
Top scorers: F A’ja Wilson (16.1), Tiffany Mitchell (15.1)
Top rebounders: C Alaina Coates (10.1), F A’ja Wilson (8.7)
Top 3-point shooters: G Tina Roy (36.1 percent), G Tiffany Mitchell (34.9 percent)
Top disher: G Tiffany Mitchell (85 assists)
Top rejector: F A’ja Wilson (100 blocks)
Road to the Sweet 16: Beat Jacksonville 77-41, beat Kansas State 73-47
(3) OHIO STATE BUCKEYES (26-7)
Bid: At-large
League (record): Big Ten (15-3)
Coach (history): Kevin McGuff (St. Joseph’s (Ind.) College ’92; 67-36 Ohio State, third year; 322-135 overall, 14th year; former coach at Xavier, Washington)
NCAA tournament appearances (record): 23 (24-22)
Final Fours (years): One (1993)
National championships (years): None
Top scorers: G Kelsey Mitchell (26.3), G Ameryst Alston (18.2)
Top rebounders: F Shayla Cooper (8.1), F Alexa Hart (7.8)
Top 3-point shooters: G Kelsey Mitchell (40.3 percent), G Ameryst Alston (36 percent)
Top disher: G Ameryst Alston (114 assists)
Top rejector: F Alexa Hart (84 blocks)
All-time record against USC: 2-2
Last played USC: Nov. 13, 2015, at Columbia (88-80 USC)
Common opponents with USC (USC record against): Lost to Connecticut (USC 0-1), beat Texas A&M (USC 2-0)
Road to the Sweet 16: Beat Buffalo 88-69, beat West Virginia 88-81
(4) SYRACUSE ORANGE (27-7)
Bid: At-large
League (record): ACC (13-3)
Coach (history): Quentin Hillsman (St. Mary’s (Md.) ’93; 216-115 Syracuse, 10th year/overall)
NCAA tournament appearances (record): Eight (4-7)
Final Fours (years): None
National championships (years): None
Top scorers: G Alexis Peterson (15.4), G Brianna Butler (13.3)
Top rebounders: C Briana Day (7.7), G Cornelia Fondren (5.8)
Top 3-point shooters: G Maggie Morrison (32.2 percent), G Alexis Peterson (30.6 percent)
Top disher: G Alexis Peterson (164 assists)
Top rejector: C Briana Day (72 blocks)
All-time record against USC: 1-3
Last played USC: March 22, 2015, at Columbia (USC 97-68)
Common opponents with USC (USC record against): Lost to Tennessee (USC 1-0), lost to Arizona State (USC 1-0), beat Jacksonville (USC 1-0), beat Duke (USC 1-0), beat Clemson (USC 1-0)
Road to the Sweet 16: Beat Army 73-56, beat Albany 76-59
(7) TENNESSEE LADY VOLUNTEERS (21-13)
Bid: At-large
League (record): SEC (8-8)
Coach (history): Holly Warlick (Tennessee ’81; 107-33 Tennessee/overall, fourth year)
NCAA tournament appearances (record): 35 (122-26)
Final Fours (years): 18 (1982, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008)
National championships (years): Eight (1987, 1989, 1991, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2007, 2008)
Top scorers: G Diamond DeShields (14.2), F Bashaara Graves (10.2)
Top rebounders: F Bashaara Graves (8.4), C Mercedes Russell (8.1)
Top 3-point shooters: F Kortney Dunbar (34.3 percent), G Diamond DeShields (25 percent)
Top disher: G Jordan Reynolds (87 assists)
Top rejector: C Mercedes Russell (66 blocks)
All-time record against USC: 45-5
Last played USC: Feb. 15, 2016, at Knoxville (USC 62-56)
Common opponents with USC (USC record against): Beat Missouri (USC 1-0), lost to Florida (USC 1-0), beat Auburn (USC 1-0), 2-1 against Arkansas (USC 1-0), twice beat Vanderbilt (USC 1-0), lost to Kentucky (USC 3-0), twice lost to Mississippi State (USC 2-0), split with Alabama (USC 1-0), split with Texas A&M (USC 2-0), beat Ole Miss (USC 2-0), lost to LSU (USC 1-0), beat Georgia (USC 1-0)
Road to the Sweet 16: Beat Green Bay 59-53, beat Arizona State 75-64
-- David Cloninger
This story was originally published March 21, 2016 at 2:20 PM with the headline "Tennessee, other threats await South Carolina in Sioux Falls."