USC Earns No. 1 Seed Over South Carolina in March Madness’ Second Women’s Top 16 Reveal by Committee

Breaking news on the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball scene: USC has jumped into the coveted No. 1 seed line, bumping South Carolina down to No. 2 in the second Top 16 reveal by the NCAA Women’s Basketball Committee. This shift comes after South Carolina’s crushing defeat at home against UConn earlier this month.

The Gamecocks, who are 25-3 and 15-1 in the SEC, suffered a dramatic 29-point loss to the Huskies, a result that impacted their seeding. The loss to UConn was one of the key factors that led to South Carolina’s drop, as it highlighted how important competitive losses are in the committee’s evaluation process, as committee chair Derita Dawkins explained during ESPN’s live broadcast. South Carolina, which had been ranked No. 1 in NET rankings all season until now, is now ranked No. 2 in that metric, with UConn (26-3) taking the top spot.

As of Thursday’s reveal, UCLA remains the No. 1 overall seed with a 27-1 record, while Texas moves up to No. 2, and USC (25-2, 16-1) leapt to No. 3. Notre Dame stays at No. 4 after taking their first conference loss of the season, a narrow defeat to NC State.

This ranking reveals where the teams would be seeded if Selection Sunday were today, based on games through Wednesday. For the first time, the committee’s Top 16 marks the last big update before Selection Sunday on March 16, which will finalize the tournament bracket.

Here’s the second Top 16 reveal:

1. UCLA (Spokane 1)
2. Texas (Birmingham 2)
3. USC (Spokane 3)
4. Notre Dame (Birmingham 4)
5. South Carolina
6. UConn
7. LSU
8. NC State
9. TCU
10. North Carolina
11. Duke
12. Tennessee
13. Oklahoma
14. Kentucky
15. Kansas State
16. Ohio State

As for the region breakdown, the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight will be hosted across two super-regional sites: Birmingham and Spokane.

• Birmingham 2: Texas, NC State, TCU, Ohio State
• Spokane 3: USC, UConn, Duke, Kentucky
• Birmingham 4: Notre Dame, South Carolina, Tennessee, Oklahoma

South Carolina’s defeat to UConn harms their tournament positioning.

For South Carolina, this drop to No. 5 means a more difficult road ahead. Instead of facing the No. 7 seed, they now find themselves potentially facing the No. 4 seed in their region. However, the Gamecocks still have ample opportunities to improve their resume with a strong finish against Kentucky and in the SEC tournament.

Tennessee climbs four positions

On the other hand, Tennessee (21-6, 8-6 SEC) has seen a massive boost, jumping from No. 16 to No. 12 overall after a four-game winning streak. This jump is the biggest change in the rankings, reflecting both Tennessee’s performance and the movement of other teams around them. Dawkins praised the Lady Vols’ toughness, citing their strong play despite close losses throughout the season.

Looking at the bottom of the rankings, several teams are feeling the pressure. Kansas State slid from No. 12 to No. 15 after losses to West Virginia and Baylor, dropping two games behind in the Big 12 race. Without star center Ayoka Lee, their situation has become more challenging. Meanwhile, Oklahoma moved up two spots to No. 13, and Ohio State dropped to No. 16 after a loss to Indiana, a setback that the committee may consider a “bad loss.”

The ACC Triangle region is also heating up as NC State, North Carolina, and Duke hold firm in the top-11 spots, setting up a major showdown this weekend. NC State remains at No. 8, while North Carolina and Duke swap places at No. 10 and No. 11. Their rivalry games are shaping up to have major implications on the bracket, as these schools prepare for the upcoming ACC tournament.

Holding on to hosting duties is weak

One major development from Notre Dame’s loss is the tightening race for the ACC regular-season title, with crucial games ahead this weekend, which could reshape the standings. As Dawkins pointed out, the committee’s focus on late-season results means the next few weeks will be pivotal for teams hoping to secure their positions before Selection Sunday.

Stay tuned as the final stretch of the regular season unfolds, with key matchups likely to impact the bracket and the seeding ahead of March Madness.