The second round of the 2026 Women’s March Madness will witness two stalwarts of College basketball go head-to-head in what’s touted to be an absolutely enthralling encounter.
Coming fresh off a commanding 103-34 victory over Southern University in their first round game, the Gamecocks walk into this game as favorites given the rich vein of form they’re in, combined with the fact that they are the no. 1 seed of the Sacramento 4 region. However, No. 9 USC stunned a lot of fans when they emerged triumphant over the Clemson Tigers in their first-round fixture with a score of 71-67.
While it’s not easy to split the two sides in terms of form and quality, the Colonial Life Arena is definitely in for a nail-biting encounter.
Ahead of this all-important clash, South Carolina’s standout junior guard Tessa Johnson gave her insights ahead of her side’s round two encounter against the Trojans.
In an interview with ABC Columbia, Johnson acknowledged how intense the USC vs. Clemson game was, calling it a crazy and fun game to watch. While the Gamecocks walk into this game as the overwhelming favorites, Johnson did not shy away from acknowledging the level of competition the NCAA tournament has to offer, while also speaking on the unpredictability of the same.
“I mean, it was just, it was kind of intense. It kind of felt like we were out there. But it’s March, like anything can happen in March. And it’s just, it was crazy. But it was fun. It was fun to watch”, Johnson stated (0:00).
Knowing the Gamecocks would play the winner of the Trojans vs Tigers game, Johnson also admitted how engrossed she was in the game that she almost forgot the scouting part, so much so that she had to lock back in ahead of her round two game.
“I mean, obviously we were scouting them as we were out there. But in the moment, I wasn’t really thinking about scouting them. I was just like, oh shoot, this is a good game. Like, that’s what was going through my mind. And then I had to lock back in. And once we actually scouted them and went through film and stuff, then the next game kind of came to my mind”, she further elaborated (0:15).
Johnson has been instrumental to her team’s success so far this season, averaging 13 points while also garnering 3.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game.
Tessa, Raven Johnson Set To Benefit From New WNBA- Players Association Agreement
Before their first round game against Southern University, Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley revealed how the WNBA and the players’ association have reached a historic agreement that will help propel a lot of WNBA-bound college basketball players.
While the agreement specifics are yet to be communicated to players, the likes of Tessa Johnson and Raven Johnson are set to benefit from this agreement as far as their salary structure is concerned, potentially earning with a better upside than their senior WNBA players.
Read More:
- Iowa vs. Virginia Women’s Basketball Prediction, Starting Lineups and Injury Report for March Madness Second Round
- WATCH: Olivia Miles’ Press Duty Hijacked as TCU Players Force Mid-Interview Dance
- Dawn Staley Reveals How Louis Vuitton Itch Began as Gamecocks Boss’ Fashion Becomes Talking Point
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