South Carolina Turns SEC Tournament Into Home Court Advantage in Dominant Win Over Vanderbilt
GREENVILLE, S.C. — Bon Secours Wellness Arena might have been labeled a neutral site, but on Friday afternoon, it felt like Colonial Life Arena 2.0 as South Carolina fans packed the stands and powered the Gamecocks to an 84-63 rout of Vanderbilt in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals.
The win improves Dawn Staley’s record in SEC Tournament games played in Greenville to an incredible 16-1.
“Why bring that up now? The coaches are gonna want to move from Greenville,” Staley joked.
A True Home-Court Advantage
When asked if playing the tournament so close to Columbia is an advantage, Staley didn’t hesitate.
“Yes, it is,” she said matter-of-factly. “It is because our fans come and they buy their tickets. It’s not like we’re giving tickets away. They buy the tickets in order for them to cheer on our team.”
Even Vanderbilt head coach Shea Ralph acknowledged the impact of the pro-Gamecock crowd on her team.
“You want to say that it doesn’t, but it does,” Ralph admitted. “They have a traveling fan base and they travel very far, but it is a great environment. And whether they’re cheering for us or not, it’s great to have that kind of environment in our women’s basketball game.”
Packed Arenas Matter More Than Location
While both Staley and Ralph recognize the Greenville crowd benefits South Carolina, they agree that what’s most important is having a full arena.
“If I’m a coach, I would rather have a full gym, right? Even if we’re in Austin, Texas, I’d rather have a full gym than have an empty gym,” Staley said. “I think our game has grown to the point where Greenville has been a location that everybody can get to. The city is great. The arena is great. The people here are great.”
Greenville: Home of the SEC Tournament Through 2028
Opposing teams better get used to the Gamecocks’ SEC Tournament “home-court advantage.” Bon Secours Wellness Arena will remain the tournament’s host site through 2028, ensuring that South Carolina fans will continue to bring the energy.
“I’m happy that we’re hosting in South Carolina because now you know everybody else in the SEC sees what makes South Carolina great, and it’s the people,” Staley said.
With three more years of SEC tournaments in Greenville, the Gamecocks will likely continue to thrive in their second home, much to the dismay of their SEC rivals.
