When the 68-team field for the NCAA Division I women’s basketball tournament was announced Sunday night, the least surprising selection was the No. 1 overall seed: South Carolina. The Gamecocks, who are also the reigning champion, will anchor a portion of the bracket that has its regional in nearby Greenville, South Carolina.
The 2023 tournament will formally open Wednesday when the first play-in games will be contested. The round of 64, which the top 16 seeds will host, starts Friday. Indiana, Virginia Tech and Stanford earned No. 1 seeds alongside South Carolina.
Led by forward Aliyah Boston, who could win her second consecutive national player of the year award, and fiery coach Dawn Staley, South Carolina (32-0) has been the best team in Division I all season. Last week, the Gamecocks capped off their first undefeated regular season in program history with a seventh Southeastern Conference Tournament title, and they will begin their NCAA Tournament run Friday against No. 16 seed Norfolk State.