SACRAMENTO — The stage is set. South Carolina and TCU meet Monday night at the Golden 1 Center for a spot in the Final Four, and with a 9 p.m. ET tip on ESPN, this Elite Eight matchup has all the makings of the tournament’s most compelling game yet.
Here is everything you need to know heading into tip-off.
How to Watch
Monday’s Elite Eight clash between South Carolina and TCU tips off at 9 p.m. ET on Monday, March 30th from the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. The game will air live on ESPN, with streaming available on Fubo. Play-by-play and analyst assignments have not yet been confirmed, but ESPN’s top women’s basketball broadcast team is expected to be on the call for an Elite Eight game of this magnitude.
The Series
These programs have met once before. On December 8th, 2024, South Carolina traveled to face TCU and left with an 85-52 victory — a 33-point margin that painted the Gamecocks as a clear level above the Horned Frogs at the time. However, TCU has grown significantly since that early-season meeting, and their Sweet 16 performance — featuring a combined 61 points and 20 rebounds from Marta Suarez and Olivia Miles — signals a team peaking at exactly the right moment.
Regular season results rarely define March outcomes, but the film from December gives Dawn Staley’s staff a detailed scouting foundation to build upon.
The Venue
Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California serves as the host for the Sacramento Regional, and it has already provided the backdrop for some of the tournament’s most dramatic moments — including Ashlon Jackson’s buzzer-beater for Duke against LSU. For South Carolina, the arena has been nothing but kind, hosting their dominant wins over Southern Cal and Oklahoma in the earlier rounds. The Gamecocks are now deeply familiar with the floor, the lighting, and the shooting backgrounds — a subtle but real advantage heading into Monday.
South Carolina Starters & Roster Notes
Dawn Staley’s Gamecocks enter the Elite Eight at 34-3 and riding a wave of momentum. Their projected starting lineup features:
- Ta’Niya Latson — The senior transfer and offensive engine, coming off a 28-point masterclass against Oklahoma
- Raven Johnson — The veteran point guard whose leadership and scoring have elevated to new heights in her final season
- Tessa Johnson — The SEC’s most lethal three-point shooter, averaging 44.5% from deep
- Agot Makeer — The freshman big who has averaged 15.5 points on 59.1% shooting in the tournament
- Madina Okot — The rebounding anchor averaging 10.9 boards per game, ranked 11th nationally
South Carolina carries no significant injury concerns heading into Monday’s tip, and the depth behind their starters has been tested and proven across three tournament games.
TCU Starters & Roster Notes
The Horned Frogs arrive at 32-5 and with genuine confidence after dismantling Virginia 79-69 in the Sweet 16. Their projected starting lineup centers around:
- Olivia Miles — The dynamic guard whose 28-point, 10-rebound Sweet 16 performance reminded everyone why she’s one of the sport’s most complete players
- Marta Suarez — The breakout star of this tournament run, coming off a career-high 33 points and 10 rebounds against Virginia
- Hailey Van Lith — A veteran scorer capable of creating her own shot in late-game situations
TCU’s injury status heading into Monday has not produced any significant concerns, though the quick turnaround from Saturday’s Sweet 16 means both programs are managing fatigue equally.
What to Watch For
The central matchup to track is Miles and Suarez against South Carolina’s suffocating backcourt defense. Raven Johnson and Ta’Niya Latson didn’t just score against Oklahoma — they stifled Aaliyah Chavez, one of the country’s best freshmen, into a labored 8-of-21 shooting performance. Whether they can replicate that kind of defensive pressure against two more experienced offensive players will go a long way toward determining the game’s outcome.
On the other end, TCU must find a way to slow Latson and Tessa Johnson — a task that has proven beyond every opponent South Carolina has faced in this tournament so far.
Monday night in Sacramento, one program’s season ends and the other books a trip to Phoenix. Based on everything both teams have shown, it won’t be decided without a fight.
