Dawn Staley and the South Carolina Gamecocks are once again set to compete in March Madness after the official reveal of the 2025 NCAA Women’s Tournament bracket on Sunday night. South Carolina enters the tournament with high aspirations, aiming to defend their national title and secure a fifth consecutive Final Four appearance under Staley’s leadership.
South Carolina Earns No. 1 Seed in Birmingham 2 Region
Following a dominant 30-3 season, which included an impressive run through the SEC Tournament, the Gamecocks were awarded the No. 1 seed in the Birmingham 2 region. However, despite their strong record and challenging schedule, the selection committee ultimately gave the No. 1 overall seed to the UCLA Bruins, who finished with a slightly better 30-2 record.
A key factor in UCLA’s advantage over South Carolina may have been their head-to-head matchup earlier in the season. In a highly anticipated showdown in November, the Bruins handed the Gamecocks their first loss of the season with a convincing 77-62 victory. That result likely played a role in the committee’s decision to place UCLA atop the tournament field.
Dawn Staley Responds to No. 2 Overall Seeding
Shortly after the full bracket was announced, Staley expressed her disappointment with South Carolina being denied the No. 1 overall seed. A three-time national champion as a head coach, Staley believed her team’s strength of schedule warranted the top spot and was eager for an explanation from the selection committee.
“I mean, obviously, it’s disappointing,” Staley said. “It really is. To get some feedback on how they came to that conclusion because we put together and manufactured a schedule that, if done right, it should produce the overall No. 1 seed. But I will say this: we are going to make adjustments to our schedule in the future… If that’s the standard, then we can play any schedule and get the No. 1 seed.”
Staley’s comments suggest she is already thinking ahead to how South Carolina can adjust its non-conference schedule in the coming seasons to maximize their chances of earning the No. 1 overall seed. Her remarks indicate a level of frustration with the selection process, particularly given the level of competition the Gamecocks faced throughout the season.
Strength of Schedule Debate: South Carolina vs. UCLA
One of the key points of contention in South Carolina’s seeding debate is their rigorous schedule. The Gamecocks played against 15 teams ranked in the AP Top 25 this season, compared to UCLA’s 12. Additionally, while the SEC sent 10 teams to the tournament, the Big Ten—the conference UCLA now represents—had a record-setting 12 teams selected, potentially boosting UCLA’s overall tournament résumé in the eyes of the committee.
Despite the seeding disappointment, Staley and her team remain focused on the task ahead. South Carolina has been a dominant force in women’s college basketball in recent years, and their quest for back-to-back national championships begins on Friday.
First-Round Matchup: South Carolina vs. Tennessee Tech
The Gamecocks will open their NCAA Tournament campaign against No. 16 seed Tennessee Tech in the first round. The game is set for Friday at 4:00 p.m. ET in Columbia, South Carolina, giving South Carolina a home-court advantage to start their tournament run.
With a deep and talented roster, South Carolina remains one of the favorites to make a deep run in the tournament. While Staley may feel her team was slighted in the seeding process, the Gamecocks now have an opportunity to let their play do the talking as they aim for another championship.
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