South Carolina, USC Women's Basketball Teams to Face Off in NCAA Tournament

The No. 1 seed Gamecocks will take on the No. 9 seed Trojans in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Mar. 22, 2026 at 1:19am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The South Carolina women's basketball team, the No. 1 seed in the Sacramento 4 Regional, will face off against the No. 9 seed Southern Cal Trojans in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on March 23. This will be a rematch of a November 15 game that South Carolina won 69-52. The game is set to tip off at 8 p.m. ET and will be aired on ESPN.

Why it matters

This matchup features two of the top women's basketball programs in the country, with South Carolina being the defending national champions and a perennial powerhouse, while USC has emerged as a strong contender in recent years. The game will have major implications for the teams' paths to the Final Four, as the winner will advance to the Sweet 16 and potentially the Elite Eight.

The details

South Carolina (32-3) easily defeated No. 16 seed Southern in the first round, while USC (18-13) needed overtime to get past No. 8 seed Clemson. The Gamecocks are led by head coach Dawn Staley, who has built the program into a national title contender. USC is led by a rising star in JuJu Watkins, the No. 1 prospect in the Class of 2024, who narrowly chose the Trojans over South Carolina but will not be playing due to a torn ACL suffered last March.

  • The game will tip off at 8 p.m. ET on March 23, 2026.
  • This will be the second meeting between the two teams this season, with South Carolina winning the first matchup 69-52 on November 15, 2025.

The players

Dawn Staley

The head coach of the South Carolina Gamecocks, who has led the program to national prominence and a national championship.

JuJu Watkins

The No. 1 prospect in the Class of 2024, who chose to play for USC but will miss this game due to a torn ACL suffered last March.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What’s next

If South Carolina wins this game, they will advance to the Sweet 16 and potentially the Elite Eight, with the goal of reaching the Final Four in Phoenix.

The takeaway

This second-round NCAA Tournament matchup between South Carolina and USC showcases the depth and talent of women's basketball, with the winner taking a major step towards a national championship.