South Carolina vs Oklahoma predictions for Sweet 16 rematch in March Madness

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South Carolina vs Oklahoma predictions for Sweet 16 rematch in March Madness

South Carolina vs Oklahoma predictions for Sweet 16 rematch in March Madness

Lulu Kesin, Greenville News · Greenville News

Wed, Mar 25, 2026 ·

3 min read

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South Carolina women's basketball has a chance to avenge its only SEC loss of the season.

Coach Dawn Staley's team lost 94-82 in overtime at Oklahoma on Jan. 22 and will now face the Sooners (26-7) in the Sweet 16 of the Women's NCAA Tournament on March 28 (5 p.m ET, ESPN) in Sacramento, California.

The No. 1 seeded Gamecocks (33-3) beat No. 9 seed Southern Cal 101-61 on March 23, and the No. 4 seeded Sooners beat No. 5 seed Michigan State 77-71 on March 22.

Oklahoma lost to LSU in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals, which prevented a rematch with South Carolina ahead of March Madness. South Carolina beat LSU in the semifinals and lost to Texas in the championship game.

Here's what to know about the rematch.

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South Carolina women's basketball vs USC, Joyce Edwards, Jazzy Davidson see our top photos

South Carolina forward Joyce Edwards (8) and South Carolina forward Maryam Dauda (30) warm up together with a ball handling drill, before the game with University of Southern California Monday, March 23, 2026, during the first quarter NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina.

(Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina)

South Carolina guard Tessa Johnson (5) Monday, March 23, 2026, during the first quarter NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina.
(Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina)

South Carolina guard Raven Johnson (25) practices before the game with Southern California Monday, March 23, 2026, during the first quarter NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina.
(Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina)

University of Southern California and University of South Carolina warm up before the game Monday, March 23, 2026, during the first quarter NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina.
(Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina)

University of Southern California forward Jazzy Davidson (9) warms up before the game with University of South Carolina Monday, March 23, 2026, during the first quarter NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina.
(Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina)

South Carolina guard Raven Johnson (25) dances a little with guard Tessa Johnson (5) ,left, before warming up for the game with Monday, March 23, 2026, during the first quarter NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina.
(Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina)

South Carolina forward Joyce Edwards (8) warms up before the game with University of Southern California Monday, March 23, 2026, during the first quarter NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina.
(Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina)

South Carolina center Madina Okot (11) warms up before the game with University of Southern California Monday, March 23, 2026, during the first quarter NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina.
(Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina)

South Carolina forward Alicia Tournebize (31) warms up before the game with University of Southern California Monday, March 23, 2026, during the first quarter NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina.
(Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina)

South Carolina forward Ayla McDowell (24) warms up before the game with University of Southern California Monday, March 23, 2026, during the first quarter NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina.
(Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina)

South Carolina forward Alicia Tournebize (31) gets ready to warm up for the game with University of Southern California Monday, March 23, 2026, during the first quarter NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina.
(Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina)

Why layups helped Oklahoma beat South Carolina

South Carolina missed 15 layups (16-of-31) in the loss to Oklahoma, a game that was tied 75 at the end of regulation.

It's not a knock to the Sooners to acknowledge that a lot of the mistakes the Gamecocks made in that game were self-inflicted. Oklahoma's defense was disruptive but South Carolina missed a lot of wide-open looks.

Oklahoma's Aaliyah Chavez had second-best SEC game vs South Carolina

South Carolina had a chance to win in regulation but didn't get a shot off, then Oklahoma freshman Aaliyah Chavez scored 15 of her 26 points in overtime.

Chavez's career-high in an SEC game is 27 but her best shooting night from behind the arc was the South Carolina game, finishing 50% from the 3-point line (5-of-10).

She's one of the top freshmen in the country and averages 18.3 points a game.

Raegan Beers won first matchup vs Madina Okot

Star Oklahoma center Raegan Beers vs star South Carolina center Madina Okot was the main matchup in that game. Beers scored 18 points and had 14 rebounds. Okot had six points and four rebounds, which tied for her second-fewest rebounds and third-fewest points scored.

Okot was feeling pressure as a starter and it seemed to come to a boil in that game, so Staley took her out of the starting lineup. Now she's averaging 13.5 points and 10.9 rebounds, shooting 58.4% from the floor.

She's also 46.2% from the 3-point line, which means if Beers defends her, they might try to pull Okot out and let Joyce Edwards go to work inside the post.

Edwards is averaging 19.9 points and has scored 50 points with 18 rebounds in the first two rounds of March Madness. Beers is averaging 15.8 points and 10.5 rebounds, shooting 61.7% from the floor. She scored 18 points each of the last two games.

South Carolina can't let Payton Verhulst heat up again

What makes Oklahoma tough is it's not just Chavez the point guard and Beers the center, as shooting guard Payton Verhulst is also a threat.

Verhulst will pull up from a few steps behind the 3-point line and even though she only went 1-of-4 from there in the first meeting, she finished with a season-high 19 points.

Oklahoma's transition baskets hurt South Carolina

Even though the Gamecocks knew Oklahoma feeds off transition points, they didn't execute well enough.

The Sooners sprint the floor and push the ball ahead even on made baskets and it's imperative South Carolina defends a lot better in transition better if it wants to win.

South Carolina vs Oklahoma March Madness prediction

South Carolina 96, Oklahoma 80:The Gamecocks beat Vanderbilt by 29 fresh off the Oklahoma loss and key players for Staley seem to be in better spots now than they were in the first matchup. This team wants revenge and scored 204 points across the first two rounds.

Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at LKesin@usatodayco.com . Follow her on X @Lulukesin and Bluesky ‪@bylulukesin.bsky.social‬

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: South Carolina vs Oklahoma predictions, picks March Madness Sweet 16

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