South Carolina Women’s Basketball Faces Southern Cal in NCAA Tournament Showdown

The No. 1 South Carolina Gamecocks meet No. 9 Southern Cal on March 23 at 8 p.m. ET. The game airs on ESPN. This second-round NCAA Tournament matchup brings contrasting paths and a familiar rivalry.

Matchup details

South Carolina enters at 32-3 under coach Dawn Staley. The Gamecocks defeated No. 16 Southern 103-34 on March 21.

Southern Cal is 18-13 and advanced after a 71-67 overtime win over Clemson on March 21. The teams last met on Nov. 15, when South Carolina won 69-52.

Broadcast and location

The game is part of the Sacramento 4 Regional. If South Carolina wins, it would play Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games in California.

A victory in the region would send the winner to the Final Four in Phoenix. ESPN holds television rights.

Player note: JuJu Watkins

JuJu Watkins, the No. 1 prospect in the Class of 2024 from Los Angeles, chose Southern Cal over South Carolina. She averaged 27.1 points as a freshman and 23.9 as a sophomore.

Watkins tore her ACL in a second-round March Madness game one year ago. She is with the Trojans in Columbia but will not play.

The Real SC series

The schools announced a bicoastal series called “The Real SC.” The first of the two games took place in Los Angeles in November.

The return game is set for Sunday, Nov. 15, 2026, at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville.

Why this matters

South Carolina’s women’s basketball meets Southern Cal in an NCAA Tournament showdown with major implications. Seedings, recent results, and the rematch storyline add drama.

The Gamecocks look to protect their top seed while Southern Cal aims to continue its upset run. Fans can expect a physical, high-stakes contest.

Reporting by Lulu Kesin for Filmogaz.com.