By: Hampton Roper
After starting the season 5-8, the USC Upstate Women’s Basketball team is making a late push for the NCAA tournament. The Spartans finished the regular season at 15-14, with a 10-6 record versus conference opponents guaranteeing them second place in the Big South. While currently ranked 308th in the NET rankings, an algorithm used by the tournament selection committee to evaluate the overall strength of teams, the Spartans still have a feasible path toward the big dance. Even if an at-large bid is unlikely, the team can automatically qualify for March Madness with a first-place finish in the Big South conference tournament. As the second seed in the conference, the Spartans will get to skip the opening round of the bracket and start in the quarterfinals, giving them a considerable advantage versus teams that have already had to fight their way through the field. At this time, the Spartans’ primary competition appears to be High Point University, who occupy the number one spot in the conference and previously bested them 59-49 earlier in the season.
USC Upstate closed their regular season campaign last Wednesday with a 43-47 loss at Presbyterian College. The Spartans will get some much-needed rest before their tournament campaign begins on Thursday, March 7th. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:00 pm and is available on streaming through ESPN+. Their opponent is yet to be determined, as Charleston Southern University and Longwood University could both still finish 7th place in the conference.
For College Basketball fanatics excited to watch March Madness, USC Upstate will be holding an on-campus viewing party for the Elite Eight round of the bracket. According to the organizer, the event will be held on March 30th at the Villa’s basketball court and is expected to run from 4:00 pm to 10:00 pm. A three-point shooting contest will also be held during the watch party. Further inquiries can be directed to Michael Stinson at mstinson@email.uscupstate.edu.