South Carolina AD Excited about possibility of NCAA Tourney

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Columbia , S.C. (WOLO) — The lady Gamecocks are making history this season winning their first SEC Championship Sunday and now they may have a chance to host the first round of the NCAA tournament. “It’s exciting that we’re going to be in this position, it gives our fans a chance to see some post-season basketball,” said USC Athletic Director Ray Tanner. In the past, the women’s basketball team was not able to host the NCAA tournament because of the rules. “We’ve really going from predetermined sites to merit based sites so you have to be qualified and you have to be rated high enough and we certainly will be,” said Tanner. Tanner said the success of the team on the court comes with a great support system at home. He said if they do host, he thinks they will draw a large crowd at Colonial Life Arena. “We are excited that we’d get 11-12,000, I’d love to see it go up a bit higher than that but that’s a great crowd,” said Tanner. “I have a feeling we’ll be in the top 1, 2 or 3 as far as attendance for NCAA women’s basketball in first and 2nd rounds.” As for the impact on Columbia’s economy, officials said hosting the tournament would be a slam dunk. “You’ve got people coming in from all over the country, three other teams staying in Columbia hotels, eating in Columbia restaurants and watching women’s basketball at Colonial Life Arena so I think it’s a win-win for everyone,” said Columbia Chamber President and CEO Carl Blackstone. The team will find out who they play and where Monday, March 16th.