Prediction and pick for South Carolina women’s basketball vs. Indiana in the 2025 NCAA Tournament second round

The South Carolina women’s basketball team has advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament after dominating No. 16 seed Tennessee Tech with a 108-48 victory on Friday. The No. 1 seed Gamecocks (31-3) will now face No. 9 Indiana (20-12) in a highly anticipated matchup this Sunday at 3 p.m. ET, live on ABC at Colonial Life Arena. Indiana secured their spot in the second round with a 76-68 win over No. 8 seed Utah.

This will be the second consecutive year these two teams have faced off in the NCAA Tournament. Here’s a quick rundown of what you need to know ahead of Sunday’s Sweet 16 showdown:

South Carolina vs. Indiana: A March Madness Rematch

Last season, in the Sweet 16, South Carolina held a commanding 17-point lead at halftime and extended it to 22 points midway through the third quarter. However, Indiana rallied late, cutting the deficit to just two points in the final minute. With the game on the line, Raven Johnson nailed a crucial 3-pointer and followed it up with a free throw, securing the Gamecocks’ 79-75 victory after nearly losing a double-digit lead.

What Dawn Staley Said About the Indiana Rematch

Following Friday’s dominant performance, South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley spoke about the significance of the upcoming rematch with Indiana. When asked about the close call last year, Staley remarked, “We got a taste of that in the last NCAA Tournament, and we have that in mind. At the top of our minds.”

South Carolina’s offense was firing on all cylinders in the first round, with a season-high 12 3-pointers. Still, Staley is focused on improving the team’s defense ahead of Sunday’s game, stressing that “Good basketball is contagious, bad basketball is contagious.” She added, “I hope we bring our ability to shoot the ball as well as we shot the ball. We shot the ball pretty good, and hopefully we can take that into the next game.”

A Reunion of Te-Hina Paopao and Sydney Parrish

Sunday’s matchup also brings an intriguing subplot: a reunion between South Carolina guard Te-Hina Paopao and Indiana’s Sydney Parrish. The two were teammates at Oregon before transferring to their respective schools. Parrish, a 6-foot-2 senior, has been pivotal for Indiana this season, averaging 11.9 points (second on the team) and a team-high 5.4 rebounds per game.

Despite scoring only eight points in Indiana’s win over Utah, Parrish had a stellar performance in last year’s meeting with South Carolina, putting up 21 points in the Hoosiers’ loss.

Stats Breakdown from the NCAA Tournament Openers

Indiana shot 58% from the field in their first-round win over Tennessee Tech, with Yarden Garzon leading the team with 17 points. However, the Hoosiers struggled from beyond the arc, making just 5 of 17 3-point attempts, and committed 12 turnovers.

South Carolina, on the other hand, posted an impressive 67% shooting from the field in their victory. Zia Cooke led the Gamecocks with 22 points, and the team also excelled from the perimeter, hitting 12 of 18 3-pointers. However, South Carolina did have 16 turnovers to clean up for the next round.

Prediction for South Carolina vs. Indiana: March Madness Second Round

Looking ahead to Sunday’s game, the prediction is a 75-62 victory for South Carolina. The Gamecocks know better than to underestimate Indiana, and they are poised to bring a stifling defense that will put pressure on the Hoosiers’ offense. Expect South Carolina to push the tempo and make it difficult for Indiana to keep up, especially in transition.

Get Your Tickets for March Madness

Tickets for the second-round NCAA Tournament games at Colonial Life Arena are available for purchase on StubHub.

Stay tuned for more live updates on this exciting matchup!