The South Carolina Gamecocks learned their NCAA Tournament fate on Sunday night, earning the event’s No. 1 overall seed after a stellar 32-0 regular-season campaign that they capped with an SEC Tournament crown. Now, the reigning national champions will look to defend that title and become just the fourth team ever to go back-to-back when they tip off postseason play with a first-round bout against 16-seed Norfolk State.
The Spartans (26-6) won their first MEAC Tournament title after also wrapping up the league’s regular-season championship. Coach Larry Vickers was named the conference’s coach of the year, and forward Kierra Wheeler netted Most Outstanding Player honors after averaging 16.