Texas No. 1 Overall Seed Fuels Rivalry as South Carolina Women’s Basketball Head Coach Dawn Staley Expresses Frustrations with South Carolina Not Being the NCAA Tournament’s No. 1 Overall Seed
The NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament is always full of excitement, drama, and unexpected twists, but the 2025 edition has sparked a particularly heated rivalry between two of the country’s premier programs. As the Texas Longhorns were named the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Women’s Tournament, South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley expressed her frustrations with the selection committee’s decision to place the Longhorns atop the bracket instead of her own South Carolina team, who had hoped for that coveted No. 1 spot.
This decision has ignited a firestorm of debate and created a charged atmosphere heading into the tournament, with both teams now entering the postseason with heightened expectations and a simmering rivalry that promises to deliver some intense matchups if the two teams meet along the way.
The Texas Longhorns: The No. 1 Overall Seed
In a season that saw some of the best basketball ever played in women’s college basketball, the Texas Longhorns were awarded the No. 1 overall seed in the 2025 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament. Texas, under the leadership of head coach Vic Schaefer, had a sensational season, finishing with a 32-2 record and dominating the competition with a balanced attack that featured elite scoring, lockdown defense, and incredible depth.
The Longhorns, led by their star players, including All-American candidate Rori Harmon and a host of other key contributors, played like a championship-caliber team all year long. Their dominance in the Big 12, coupled with impressive victories over top-ranked teams in non-conference play, gave them a convincing argument to be the top seed in the tournament.
However, despite Texas’ undeniable success, the decision to place them as the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament has raised eyebrows, particularly in Columbia, South Carolina, where the Gamecocks have been the standard-bearers in women’s college basketball for several years.
Dawn Staley’s Frustration: The Case for South Carolina
Dawn Staley, the longtime head coach of the South Carolina Gamecocks, was vocal in her frustration over the selection committee’s decision. South Carolina had a remarkable season, finishing with a 30-3 record, including a dominating SEC title and impressive wins over several top-ranked teams. The Gamecocks, led by standout players such as Aliyah Boston, Zia Cooke, and Laeticia Amihere, boasted one of the most formidable lineups in the country. Their defense was stifling, their offense was explosive, and they appeared poised to continue their reign of dominance in women’s college basketball.
However, despite their record and resume, South Carolina was not awarded the No. 1 overall seed. Instead, the committee chose Texas, citing the Longhorns’ overall body of work, their strength of schedule, and their balance as a team. While these factors certainly played a role, Staley’s frustration stemmed from what she perceived as a lack of recognition for the Gamecocks’ consistency and their unparalleled success in the SEC—widely regarded as one of the toughest conferences in women’s college basketball.
In an impassioned interview, Staley pointed out that South Carolina had been the most dominant team in women’s college basketball for several seasons, capturing national titles and consistently finishing at or near the top of the rankings. She also noted that South Carolina had faced and defeated several top-tier teams during the regular season, which she felt should have been enough to secure the top seed. “We’ve earned it,” Staley said, visibly frustrated. “We’ve done everything asked of us, and I believe our players deserve the recognition. This is a team that has worked incredibly hard and consistently performed at a high level, and I just don’t understand how we didn’t get the No. 1 spot.”
Staley’s frustration, though palpable, also speaks to the intensity of the rivalry that is brewing between Texas and South Carolina as both programs vie for national supremacy.
The Selection Committee’s Decision: What It Means for Texas and South Carolina
The decision to make Texas the No. 1 overall seed and place South Carolina in the No. 2 spot has major implications for both teams heading into the tournament. For Texas, being awarded the top seed is both a badge of honor and a heavy responsibility. As the No. 1 overall seed, the Longhorns are now widely considered the favorites to win the national title. They will enter the tournament with a target on their backs, as every team in the bracket will be looking to take down the team at the top.
However, with this designation comes the added pressure of living up to the expectations. The Longhorns are now the team everyone is gunning for, and they’ll have to prove that they can handle the pressure and deliver on the grandest stage of college basketball. For a program like Texas, which has a storied history but has not consistently reached the pinnacle of NCAA Women’s Basketball in recent years, this is a major opportunity to assert themselves as the new force in women’s college basketball.
For South Carolina, being placed as the No. 2 seed means that they will have to navigate through a challenging tournament path to get to the championship game. Though they are still a national title contender, they will face a potentially more difficult route to the Final Four. This could be a source of frustration for Staley and the Gamecocks, as they feel they should have earned the privilege of being the overall top seed.
Still, South Carolina’s frustration could fuel them as they enter the tournament, with the Gamecocks now looking to prove that they are the team deserving of the top spot. The rivalry between Texas and South Carolina could serve as a motivating factor for both teams, with each program carrying a chip on their shoulder as they look to make a deep run and secure another national championship.
The Growing Rivalry: Texas vs. South Carolina
With both teams now at the forefront of women’s college basketball, the rivalry between Texas and South Carolina is poised to become one of the most captivating storylines in the sport. Both teams are loaded with talent, both have championship aspirations, and both have the coaching pedigree to back up their ambitions.
Texas’ head coach Vic Schaefer has built a team that is well-rounded and dangerous on both ends of the floor, with a strong defense and a high-powered offense. Meanwhile, Dawn Staley’s South Carolina team has dominated the paint for years, with elite post play and a suffocating defense that makes them one of the hardest teams to score against in the country.
The prospect of a Texas-South Carolina matchup in the tournament, whether in the Final Four or the championship game, has women’s basketball fans buzzing. If these two teams meet, it will be a clash of titans, with contrasting styles and no shortage of star power on display.
The storyline of Staley’s frustration with the seeding adds an emotional layer to this rivalry, as both teams will undoubtedly play with heightened intensity. While Staley is careful to keep her focus on her team’s performance, there’s little doubt that the desire to prove the selection committee wrong will add fuel to South Carolina’s fire.
What’s Next?
As the NCAA Women’s Tournament progresses, the drama between Texas and South Carolina is sure to intensify. Both teams will enter the tournament as favorites in their respective regions, but the path to a national title will be a grueling one.
If Texas and South Carolina meet in the tournament, it could be one of the most high-stakes games in recent memory, with both teams playing for the ultimate prize: a national championship. Whether South Carolina uses the slight of not receiving the No. 1 overall seed as motivation or Texas embraces their role as the top dog, one thing is certain—this rivalry is only going to grow stronger.