With one week left in the regular season, No. 3 sits at 27-2 overall — a record that looks dominant on the surface but becomes even more impressive under deeper examination.
The Gamecocks’ only blemishes came in razor-thin margins: a last-second loss to the and an overtime defeat against the . Outside of those two moments, South Carolina has been nearly flawless. Last week’s ranked wins over and pushed USC to 13-1 in SEC play — a mark that clinched yet another SEC regular-season championship.
NET Movement Tells the Bigger Story
When the first NET rankings were released in early December, South Carolina debuted at No. 6 nationally and third within the SEC. For several weeks, the Gamecocks hovered in that range. Eventually, Dawn Staley’s group climbed as high as No. 2 before settling back to No. 4.
Now, they hold firm at No. 3 nationally, trailing only and .
That positioning is significant because the NET is the primary metric used by the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee. The formula combines Team Value Index — which evaluates results, location, and strength of schedule — with adjusted net efficiency ratings that measure performance quality relative to opponent strength and game location.
In short: it rewards both winning and how you win.
Quad 1 Dominance Separates South Carolina
At the time of this writing, South Carolina owns a 9-2 record against Quad 1 opponents — arguably the most important line on its résumé.
Those victories include:
- A neutral-site win over (in Los Angeles),
- A Players Era Championship victory in Las Vegas over ,
- A road win at ,
- A home revenge win over Texas,
- SEC road triumphs at LSU and Alabama,
- Convincing home wins over Vanderbilt, Tennessee, and Ole Miss.
The two Quad 1 losses? Texas on a buzzer-beater and Oklahoma in overtime — margins that could easily have swung the other direction.
Equally important, South Carolina is 8-0 in Quad 2, 2-0 in Quad 3, and 8-0 in Quad 4.
That consistency matters.
Coach Dawn Staley’s scheduling philosophy continues to pay dividends. Even before SEC play began, the Gamecocks boasted one of the toughest strength-of-schedule metrics in the country. Now, they are the only team nationally with more than 15 combined Quad 1 and Quad 2 victories. South Carolina’s 17 such wins top UCLA’s 15 and UConn’s 13 — a critical separator in the race for a potential No. 1 overall seed.
Why the NET Number Holds Firm
Despite sliding from No. 2 to No. 4 earlier in the year, South Carolina stabilizing at No. 3 signals something important: the committee values the total body of work.
Close losses to elite competition do not damage a résumé the way multiple bad losses would. Meanwhile, piling up high-quality wins across hostile environments — Baton Rouge, Tuscaloosa, Louisville — strengthens the Gamecocks’ tournament positioning.
The metrics suggest this is not simply a team winning games; it’s a team winning against elite competition with schedule weight behind every result.
Final Regular-Season Tests
South Carolina’s final two games before the SEC Tournament present different types of challenges.
On Thursday, Feb. 26, the Gamecocks host at Colonial Life Arena. Missouri sits at No. 86 in the NET (Quad 3 territory). While it won’t dramatically boost the résumé, it represents a potential trap game — one that South Carolina must handle cleanly to avoid damaging its profile. The Gamecocks have won four straight in the series and remain undefeated at home against the Tigers.
Then comes the real test.
On Sunday, Feb. 29, USC travels to face the , currently No. 16 in the NET — a Quad 1 opportunity. South Carolina has won five straight in the matchup, last falling to Kentucky in the 2021-22 SEC Tournament final.
This road game could further solidify the Gamecocks’ push for a No. 1 seed and potentially strengthen their case in the debate against UConn and UCLA.
The Bottom Line
At 27-2 with the nation’s deepest collection of high-tier wins, South Carolina’s résumé is built for March. The NET ranking at No. 3 is not a ceiling — it’s a reflection of sustained excellence against elite competition.
And if the Gamecocks finish strong next week, they won’t just enter postseason play as SEC champions.
They’ll enter as one of the most battle-tested teams in America — with the numbers to prove it.
