Without ‘glitz or glamour,’ Clemson women’s basketball ready for NCAA Tournament
If there is one thing that Shawn Poppie has learned during his short time as a college basketball head coach, it’s to stop trying to predict the NCAA Tournament bracket.
The second-year Clemson head coach admits it was a little bit of a curveball for himself and the Tigers when the NCAA Tournament bracket was released Sunday. Clemson, a No. 8 seed, was a higher seed than most had projected. The Tigers also were slotted to play just 130 miles away at Colonial Life Arena, the home of rival South Carolina and host site of the four teams.
The final projection for the selection show had the Tigers going to Nashville to play at the Vanderbilt host site, which would have required getting on a plane instead of a bus.
The Tigers play No. 9 Southern Cal in their first-round matchup, with the winner facing the No. 1 South Carolina/No. 16 Southern winner on Monday.
“You probably like to get all the glitz and glamour that comes with being in the NCAA Tournament instead of a two-hour bus ride,” Poppie said Friday at Colonial Life Arena. “But I thought our administration and staff did a phenomenal job for the sendoff and making it feel like a special event.”
Clemson isn’t the only No. 8 or No. 9 seed playing close to home. Ninth-seeded Syracuse is playing Iowa State at the UConn host site. The Orange campus is 276 miles away from the Huskies.
Poppie said playing close to home and at a place the Tigers have already played this season does have its advantages. South Carolina defeated Clemson, 65-37, on Nov. 11, but the Tigers are familiar with the surroundings.
Poppie is expecting a good contingent of Clemson fans to make the trip and support the team and pointed out that no other Tiger team has a home game this weekend.
But what kind of reception Gamecock fans who stick around after their game will give their rivals is up in the air. There will be some fans possibly rooting for Clemson so it can play the Gamecocks in the second round Monday. There also will be the camp that can’t cheer for Clemson no matter what.
“My wife asked the same dang question. Selection Sunday, we get home, and she says, ‘Well, I’m curious … will they stick around and root for you? I don’t know if South Carolina fans can genuinely do that. Or will they stick around and boo you?’” Poppie said. “ I don’t know. Obviously they play before us (Saturday), and I’m sure there will be a handful that stick around and I’m sure there will be a lot that leave out of excitement for whatever is next for them.
“The only thing we can control is ourselves and the fans that we do have. I know that there’s a lot coming down here for what we were afforded in the sense of availability in tickets. We look forward to putting on for them and for everyone around watching.”
Poppie’s players were asked the same question, and they were optimistic they will hear more cheers than boos in the matchups with the Trojans.
“I definitely feel like there’s going to be some South Carolina fans there, but I don’t think they’ll boo us,” senior guard Mia Moore said. “I think it’s more so they’re going to be scouting us to see who’s going to play South Carolina on Monday.”
The Tigers are making their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2019 and only their second since 2002. Poppie admits that the program is a year or two ahead of where he thought it would be when he was hired from Chattanooga after back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances at the SoCon school.
But thanks to a transfer-heavy roster and players like Moore (UAB), Rusne Augustinaite (Georgia Tech), Demeara Hinds (Wake Forest) and Rachael Rose (Wofford), Clemson has won 21 games and 11 ACC games.
Poppie credits the close-knit chemistry of the group, with team bonding activities in the summer having played a role in the team’s success this year.
Then there was the win over ACC regular-season and tournament champion Duke late in the regular season to give them the added boost of confidence.
And whatever happens in this year’s tournament, Poppie and the players believe the Tigers are poised for long-term success and not just NCAA Tournament appearances every once in a while.
“We are here. We don’t have to sell being an NCAA Tournament team. We are here. Because we are here, let’s continue to compete and fight and see how long we stay,” Poppie said. “… Let’s be delusional. No one thinks it, let’s be delusional. You look at the roster of Southern Cal, we are delusional that we think we should win (Saturday). All of those McDonald All-Americans and NIL money and all that stuff. There is no one in that locker room that doesn’t believe we are going to win.”
NCAA Tournament Time
Who: No. 8 Clemson vs. No. 9 Southern Cal
When: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina
TV: ESPN2
Line: Southern Cal by 5.5
This story was originally published March 20, 2026 at 3:54 PM with the headline "Without ‘glitz or glamour,’ Clemson women’s basketball ready for NCAA Tournament."
