Gamecocks drawing on SEC success before defending NCAA title

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COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) – Friday marks the beginning of Carolina’s journey to climb to the top of college basketball for the second-straight season, as the defending national champion Gamecocks open their run in the 2018 NCAA Tournament.

Two-seed USC hosts 15-seed North Carolina A&T at 7:30 p.m. at Colonial Life Arena, playing under their title banner from 2017’s tourney for the first time in the postseason.

Despite last year’s ultimate success in March Madness, Dawn Staley won’t use last year’s victories as a rallying cry for a new 2018 team. As senior star A’ja Wilson leads the Gamecocks into her final March Madness of her historic college career, the momentum built by winning the SEC Tournament in Nashville will instead be where these Gamecocks will draw experience from.