Gamecock women set to take on Miami in NCAA Tournament’s second round

After a dominating and record-setting defensive performance against Howard in the NCAA Tournament’s first round, the South Carolina Gamecocks will face a step up in competition against the eighth-seeded Miami Hurricanes today at 3 p.m.

The Hurricanes (21-12) dispatched No. 9 seed USF 78-66 to get here, shooting a sparkling 54 percent from the field and leading by as many as 19 points on the way to posting their season-best scoring output and ninth victory in 11 games.

South Carolina had a rousing tournament debut of its own, setting multiple NCAA and program records in its thorough dismantling of the Bison. Star forward Aliyah Boston secured her 25th straight double-double with a 10-point, 12-rebound performance, and Gamecocks up and down the roster had moments of their own, as all but two players scored.

Miami will play its fifth game against a 1-seed this year, having already played N.C. State and Louisville twice during the regular season. The Canes went 1-3 in those contests, with the most recent result being an upset of the Cardinals in the ACC Tournament.

The Gamecocks and Hurricanes have actually met twice before, with USC winning both games, although the teams haven’t squared off since 1993.