Who: #1 South Carolina (32-2) v. #10 Creighton (23-9), Greensboro, North Carolina

Time/TV: 7:00 PM ESPN

Line: SC -13.5, U/O -125

History: The two schools have never met. The Gamecocks are 3-1 in the Dawn Staley era in the Elite 8. In 2015, South Carolina came from behind to defeat Florida State 80-74 in Greensboro to advance to their first ever Final Four. The Seminoles were the Gamecocks Elite 8 victim again in 2017, as Carolina won 71-64 en route to a National Championship. Last year the Gamecocks dominated Staley's Washington General, Vic Schaefer and his Texas Longhorns 62-34 to advance to the Final Four. This is Creighton's first ever trip to the Elite 8.

How they got here: South Carolina used a big 2nd quarter and then rode the back of Aliyah Boston late to knock off a pesky North Carolina team 69-61. How dominant was Boston? She had 28 points and 22 rebounds, (including 12 offensive rebounds). Boston was also 12 of 13 from the foul line. Boston scored all 13 of the Gamecocks's 4th quarter points. Zia Cooke and Destanni Henderson had better shooting nights, but still not quite what they are capable of doing. The backcourt duo combined for 28 points. Victoria Saxon had one of her finest games of the season. Saxton only scored 6 points but she pulled down 14 rebounds and had 2 blocks. In short, Boston got help but she put the remaining 7 teams on notice that she is the most dominant player in the country. Tar Coach Courtney Banghart said it best, "She’s just a premier player. She’s generational in that way with how her body has transformed. She’s powerful and strong. She has kind of dancer footwork. She’s relentless. I wish she was old enough to go to the pro. I would be sitting in the front row celebrating her to be drafted because I think I’ve seen enough. I had one chance, and I’ve seen enough of Aliyah Boston, but mad respect for just a really good kid too."

The Bluejays came into this tournament and completely wrecked the Hawkeye state beating Iowa and Iowa State in the last two rounds. Creighton beat Colorado in their tournament opener. The Bluejays have shot 78 three pointers in their 3 tournament games and have connected on 29 of them. Creighton is the highest remaining seed in a very chalky Elite 8.

Elsewhere around the tournament: As stated above, the usual suspects are still alive. In fact if you added up all the other remaining team's seeds, outside of Creighton, their combined number would be 11. No #1 seed has lost and only two #2 seeds have fallen. The winner of the SC/Creighton game will meet the winner of the Louisville v. Michigan game in Minneapolis on Friday night. The Gamecocks have played 3 of the other 7 teams still alive in the tournament and are 3-0 against those squads.

The Bluejay way is to pass and pass and pass until someone gets a good look from behind the arch. Creighton is the #1 team in the country in assist to turnover ratio. They are 8th in the three pointers attempted and 4th in makes. South Carolina will need to the defend the perimeter and not allow the Bluejays to get comfortable. Creighton does not have a true center with their tallest player standing only 6'1. Their "bigs" will also step out and shoot the long ball. “We can invert and have our bigs go out to the three-point line, and hopefully that creates issues for them and opens up the lane to be able to score some points in the paint. We’re going to have to make some threes to be successful, but we can’t just shoot threes," said Bluejays coach Jim Flanery.

Creighton leadings scorer and rebounder is 6'1 forward Emma Ronsiek. The Sophomore from Sioux Falls is averaging 14.3 ppg and 5.1 rebounds. Creighton is not a team that rebounds the ball particularly well as they rank 85th in rebound margin. South Carolina is #1 in rebound margin. Don't expect the Bluejays to get many 2nd chance looks. Sophomore guard Lauren Jensen is one of the best 3-point shooters in America. She is shooting 43.8% from long range. The Bluejays leader in 3-point attempts is not a starter, Morgan Maly is a reserve forward that attempted 208 threes on the season. It will be interesting to see how the Gamecocks use the defensive talents of Brea Beal when both Maly and Jensen are the floor at the same time. I would expect Staley to use LeLe Grissett and Laeticia Amihere to guard the permitter and dare Creighton's forwards and guards to drive the lane. Amihere and Grissett's athleticism should bother the smaller Bluejay lineup.

Never ever count out a Vic Schaefer coached team in March, unless of course he is playing a Dawn Staley coached team. I'll take Texas getting 6.5 against Stanford although Stanford looks to be on a collision course with the Gamecocks.

UConn verses NC State is a tough call, I think the Wolfpack are a better team with Paige Bueckers playing on one leg, yet the Huskies get the comfort of playing this game 75 miles from campus. I'm going UConn by 5.

Selfishly, I hope Michigan defeats Louisville. From what I saw last night in Michigan's 3 point win over South Dakota, I do not believe they would challenge the Gamecocks. Louisville by 8.

On the men's side, it appears that we are going to get the bluest of blue bloods in the Final Four. I'm going Kansas and UNC to both win and cover. Would a UNC/Duke Final Four matchup with Coach K's career on the line top the all-time NCAA basketball TV rating of Bird v. Magic I from 1979. (24.1). Probably not, but it would be a compelling 2.5 hours nonetheless.