The number 1 seed in the Hemisfair region of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament, the South Carolina Gamecocks, will face fifth place in the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on Sunday at 1pm EST. It is the first of four Sweet Sixteen games on the agenda and will be broadcast nationally on ABC.
Although some of the teams with the most seeds in the 2021 NCAA Tournament have fought so far, South Carolina is not one of them. The Gamecocks eliminated the No. 16 Mercer Bears seed in the first round 79-53 and defeated the No. 8 Oregon State Beavers seed 59-42 days later. South Carolina kept the two opponents with less than 40 percent of field shots.
It is the type of defense that fans expect from Gamecocks, who ranked 14th in Division I in defensive efficiency (79.6 points allowed per 100 possessions) this season, according to Her Hoop Stats. Gamecocks are also among the best in the country in offensive recovery (42.8 percent) and defensive recovery (75.2 percent), which is fueled in large part by second year center Aliyah Boston, who was recently named the National Player of the Year per The Athletic.
Although the work of the Yellow Jackets in 2020-21 was not as dominant as that of the Gamecocks, they represent the biggest challenge that South Carolina faced at this point in the tournament. After winning a return win in overtime, 54-52, against Stephen F. Austin Ladyjacks No. 12, Georgia Tech defeated West Virginia Mountaineers fourth place 73-56, proving it can win both under and high score games.
Georgia Tech has a lot of size on the attacking court, with Nerea Hermosa (6ft-5) and Lorela Cubaj (6ft-4) giving the Yellow Jackets an advantage over most teams. Cubaj, in particular, has had a stellar tournament so far, most recently scoring 21 points and 12 rebounds against West Virginia. It was also designed to be a first round pick of the WNBA draft by ESPN’s Mechelle Voepel, if you choose not to use your extra year of eligibility for 2021-22.
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Regardless, South Carolina is the region’s No. 1 seed for a reason, and Gamecocks have more than just size and rebound in their favor, with an explosive guard game and plenty of perimeter defense. ACC Coach of the Year, Nell Fortner, will need to come up with a game plan that limits South Carolina’s offensive options and gives its yellow jackets a chance to fight one of the best teams in the country.
Game information
No. 5 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets seeds (17-8, 12-6 ACC) vs. No. 1 South Carolina Gamecocks seed (24-4, 14-2 SEC)
When: Sunday, March 28 at 1:00 pm ET
Where: The Alamodome in San Antonio, TX
How to watch: ABC / Radio: WREK 91.1 FM (Georgia Tech) or Radio: 107.5 THE GAME (South Carolina) or Gamecock All-Access
Keys to the confrontation: Cubaj can kick from outside and pass the ball better than most players his size, giving a talented defender like Boston a look she has never seen before. It is an interesting individual match, but due to the Gamecocks’ athletic build elsewhere, Georgia Tech will need to receive important contributions from its backcourt to win, even if Cubaj plays well. Kierra Fletcher and Lotta-Maj Lahtinen, who scored a total of 36 points against Virginia Tech, must face South Carolina guards Destanni Henderson and Zia Cooke for at least one draw, keeping them out of the transition and out of line. free throw.