Latest NCAA Tournament projections, South Carolina's path to hosting

It's getting into crunch time now for the NCAA Tournament selection committee, and it seems like there's still some split now about what the outlook for South Carolina's postseason will look like.

There's no question South Carolina will be in the tournament and likely a two-seed, but there's differing opinions about where the Gamecocks are playing their regional.

D1Baseball still has South Carolina traveling up to South Bend and playing in Notre Dame's regional but Baseball America has the Gamecocks still hosting as a two-seed with Old Dominion the top 16.

The shift comes some in who South Carolina's regional is paired with, but the teams have largely remained the same.

D1Baseball has South Carolina playing Indiana in the opening round with the Irish and Central Michigan the other two regional paired with Oregon's regional including Virginia, Michigan and Bryant.

Baseball America projects South Carolina playing Virginia the first game of that regional with Old Dominion the top seed and UNC-Wilmington rounding out the regional.

It's paired here with the Texas regional including Arizona State, Alabama and McNeese State.

Because the NCAA already announced 20 host sites for the tournament and Old Dominion was one of those, then the Monarchs can't host postseason games this year.

South Carolina is one of the 20 hosts and would be able to have games in June at Founders Park if the committee chooses to.

The Gamecocks' chances of hosting likely hinge on Old Dominion earning a top 16 seed and playing at Founders Park.

Old Dominion is currently ranked No. 13 in the RPI and in the driver's seat to the Conference USA championship game.

The Monarch will play No. 5 seeded Florida Atlantic Saturday at 9 a.m. and will need to lose twice today in order to be eliminated.