South Carolina women's basketball: First Four analysis and Reaction

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Observations and analysis from Wednesday’s history-making First Four game.

• It will ultimately be a footnote in history, but it’s still history. The women’s NCAA Tournament expanded to 68 teams for the first time this season, and in the first-ever First Four (commonly called “play-in”) game Howard controlled the fourth quarter for a come-from-behind 55-51 win. UIW made its first tournament appearance, and Howard made its first appearance in over 20 years. It was Howard’s first tournament win in six appearances.
• The addition of four teams is part of the NCAA’s efforts to correct the institutional inequalities the NCAA has forced on the women’s tournament (this isn’t up for debate, the NCAA has acknowledged it discriminates against the women’s tournament). After one game at one site, the decision felt like a success. 
• Howard coach Ty Grace said she wasn’t thrilled with being relegated to a “play-in game,” but her opinion changed Wednesday night. “I have soaked it all in,” she said. “It’s been amazing. You can’t – it’s not enough words to describe the feeling that we have and I have today and from the week, like the kids kind of said. It’s just been a great feeling. I’m overwhelmed, I’m thankful, I’m blessed. It’s just been great. There’s so many words I can’t describe.”
• UIW’s Jeff Dow was equally happy with the First Four. He described the situation as “surreal” and said he thought the First Four is good for the women’s tournament. “I think it’s going to be great for our program,” said Dow, who couldn’t stop smiling. “Not just for women’s basketball, for UIW athletics, obviously as we’re transitioning into a new conference, into the WAC, and then great for our university as a whole, certainly to be on the big stage tonight, the first-ever play-in game in NCAA women’s basketball history, the first game of this entire NCAA Tournament, the stage was ours tonight. I thought we represented ourselves well. Did not embarrass ourselves by any means. We were right there.” 
• Players also enjoyed the moment. “It’s amazing. It’s amazing. We made history tonight. Still unbelievable,” said Howard’s Krislyn Marsh after the First Four game. “It’s amazing being here. I’m just in awe. Everywhere I look there’s cameras. Everywhere I’m looking there’s trophies, memorabilia everywhere. Just really happy to be here and soaking it all in.” “We won a championship and we’re still dancing, the first win in Howard history. This experience is just great, and I’m just living it,” said Howard’s Brooklynn Fort-Davis. “We feel like superstars. We get to walk around with cameras everywhere, play on a big court, nice arena, nice lights. We just feel like superstars.”
• The other major correction is finally allowing the women’s tournament to use “March Madness” branding that had previously been restricted to the men’s tournament. It wasn’t lip service: the phrase “March Madness” was everywhere. It was on banners along the baselines, graphics on the ribbon boards, on media handouts and credentials (we aren’t allowed to take pictures of credentials, so you’ll have to trust me), and on socks the cheerleaders threw into the crowd. The women’s tournament used the same March Madness logo as the men’s tournament, with a slight color change (light blue and orange instead of dark blue and black) that is an effective “equal but different.”
• Howard dominated the glass in this First Four game, outrebounding UIW by 18, grabbing 20 more offensive rebounds, and finishing plus-18 in second-chance points. The Bison attempted 17 more shots than the Cardinals, which made up for shooting 30.9% and going 1-18 from three and 12-25 from the foul line. I daresay the Bison won’t have that same success against the Gamecocks.
• In the other First Four game Wednesday, Dayton routed DePaul 88-57. In her final game of the season, Aneesah Morrow had her 27th double-double with 28 points and 17 rebounds. Aliyah Boston will have a chance to catch Morrow with a pair of double-doubles this weekend.
• Dawn Staley and several South Carolina players waited in the tunnel after the game to congratulate both teams. Dow tweeted to Staley after the game. UIW planned to take pictures at the A’ja Wilson statue Thursday morning before flying home, and he asked Staley if she could join them.