It was a dominant display of basketball for Dawn Staley’s Gamecocks as the team punched its ticket to the Sweet 16 for the 12th consecutive year. 

South Carolina hosted its first and second round games of the 2026 NCAA women’s basketball tournament, knocking off Southern and Southern California by a combined 102 points. 

The win over Southern California marked the final game in Colonial Life Arena this season, as the Gamecocks will travel to Sacramento for the next two rounds. The team has a date with Oklahoma in the Sweet 16.

“I do think the excitement of playing in the NCAA tournament has lifted them to play connected basketball,” head coach Dawn Staley said after the Southern California win. “I think that it's bringing out the ultra competitiveness in them. But we know we also have a really good team ahead of us in Oklahoma, someone that beat us this year.”

Should the Gamecocks defeat Oklahoma, the team would play the winner of Virginia and TCU in the Elite Eight. It’s Virginia’s first appearance in the Sweet 16 since 2000.

A potential Elite Eight matchup against the Cavaliers would be a full-circle moment for Staley, who played at Virginia from 1988-92. That was the most successful stretch in Virginia basketball history, with three Final Fours and an appearance in the 1991 title game.

“There's a possibility. I'm very happy for Virginia. I've been in really close contact with coach Mox throughout her tenure, and I'm really happy that they made it to the Sweet 16,” Staley said. “They're probably a little bit hungry for more. I don't put anything past them continuing to win.”

Should the team play TCU, it’ll be a matchup between two of the best teams in college basketball this season. 

Before a game against the Horned Frogs or Cavaliers, the Gamecocks must first dispatch Oklahoma. The Sooners pulled off a massive upset earlier in the regular season, defeating the Gamecocks 94-82. 

Oklahoma erased a seven-point halftime deficit in the third quarter and outscored the Gamecocks 19-7 in overtime to win that game. 

“I thought they wanted it more, and they played that way,” Staley said. “It was just a battle of wills, and their will was much stronger than ours in that particular game.”

To avoid an early exit, the Gamecocks will look to continue playing with the same ferocity they had in the first two rounds. 

Controlling the glass, taking smart shots inside and getting to the foul line were big reasons why those games were so lopsided. South Carolina’s defensive effort also translated into easy buckets, as turnovers created many extra scoring opportunities. 

The Gamecocks and Oklahoma will face off in the Sweet 16 this Saturday at 5 p.m. at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California.