A lot at stake for Gamecock Women in big showdown against UCONN

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - One of the biggest games in college basketball this season will take place Feb. 10 in Colonial Life arena. That’s where the top ranked South Carolina women’s team will entertain the fourth ranked Connecticut Huskies.

UCONN is the nation's most successful women's basketball program with 11 national championships. A victory tonight by the Gamecocks could signify a changing of the guard.

Carolina is 22-and-1 this season with three victories over top ten teams. The Gamecocks have never defeated the Huskies. Leading into this game, USC Women are currently 0-8 all-time against UCONN including seven losses on Dawn Staley’s watch.

South Carolina will have home court advantage and Staley, the Gamecocks head coach, says the atmosphere will resemble a Final Four game.

“We’re able to get 18 thousand people in here and it is a Final Four feel because a Final Four has a capacity crowd. I’m not saying we’re going to the Final Four, we’ve been in a Final Four and you can’t simulate that unless you have the capacity of an arena like we do to simulate it,” Staley said.

Staley knows a victory over the Huskies will increase their chances of being the overall number one seed for the NCAA tournament. If that happens South Carolina will probably be assigned to the East Regional in Greenville.

That means the Gamecocks would be able to advance to the Final Four with four victories in the Palmetto state. They would also host the first and second rounds on their home court.

“I think we can strengthen our hold on being the number one team overall. Hopefully we can be in Greenville. Win the game and it takes care of itself,” Staley said.

South Carolina and UCONN will tip-off at 7pm. The game will be televised on ESPN2.