NCAA WOMENS BASKETBALL: MAR 05 2023 Southeastern Conference Women’s Basketball Championship - Tennessee vs South Carolina — Aliyah Boston and company raise the championship trophy. | Photo via South Carolina Athletics

The Gamecock’s Women’s Basketball team will start their NCAA tournament championship run at home in Colonial Life Arena on Friday at 2 p.m. against No. 16 seed Norfolk State. Watch it on ESPN if you can’t make it out.

This year’s team is the No. 1 overall seed again after being ranked No. 1 in the nation for 37 straight weeks, the second-longest run in the history of the AP Poll. They are only the third program to hold the top spot for back to back seasons, along with UConn and Louisiana Tech.

What’s the Gamecock’s path to Dallas?

1️⃣ Game 1 vs. Norfolk State | March 17 | 2 p.m. | Tickets | Only one No. 16 seed has defeated a top-seeded team in tournament history, so our odds are good.

2️⃣ Game 2 vs. the winner of the South Florida-Marquette| March 19 | Times TBD | Tickets | The second round of the NCAA tournament could provide a challenge against South Florida, who was the regular season AAC conference champion, or Marquette, who defeated UConn and Texas this season.

3️⃣ Sweet 16 + Elite Eight | March 25 + 27 | Times TBD | Tickets | If the Gamecocks win both games in Columbia this weekend, they’ll head to the Upstate and Bon Secours Wellness Arena for two games. The Gamecocks could match up against No. 2 seed Maryland or No. 3 Notre Dame in the Elite Eight game. Earlier this season, Dawn Staley’s squad defeated Maryland 81-56 in College Park.

4️⃣ Final Four and Championship Games in Dallas, TX | March 31 + April 2 | Times TBD | Tickets | On the other side of the bracket stands No. 1 seeds Indiana and Virginia Tech, but perennial foe and rival UConn is eager to return to the championship. The Gamecocks will have to potentially get past Stanford or Iowa State to make it back to the championship.

Try your hand at a perfect bracket and choose a champion.

MAKE YOUR PREDICTIONS

EVENTS

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Tuesday, March 14

Sip and Plant Workshop | Tuesday, Mar. 14 | 6:30-8 p.m. | Gardener’s Outpost, 1211 Franklin St., Columbia | $45 | This class includes a 14-inch deco planter, several annual plants, and all the soil or fertilizer needed.

Wednesday, March 15

ArtBreak: Black Mountain College | Wednesday, Mar. 15 | 11 a.m.-12 p.m. | Columbia Museum of Art, 1515 Main St., Columbia | Free | Hear from Alice Sebrell, director of preservation for the Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center in Asheville, NC.*

Thursday, March 16

NOMA Business Association Coffee Talk (Free) | Thursday, Mar. 16, Thursday, Apr. 20 | 8-9 a.m. | Gardener’s Outpost, 1211 Franklin St., Columbia | Free | Socialize with North Main neighbors to hear first-hand what’s going on in NOMA.
Members Bring a Friend Day | Thursday, Mar. 16 | 10 a.m.-8 p.m. | Columbia Museum of Art, 1515 Main St., Columbia | Free | Members are invited to bring a friend in to enjoy the museum with free admission.
Big Head Todd & the Monsters | Thursday, Mar. 16 | 8 p.m. | The Senate, 1022B Senate St., Columbia | $35 | Enjoy a nostalgic night out in the Vista with this 1990s rock band best known for their song “Bittersweet.”
Books & Brackets Basketball Challenge | Thursday, March 16 | United Way of the Midlands, Columbia | $10.00 | Play for good — enter Books & Brackets to support readers in Pre-K through 3rd grade through the Midlands Reading Consortium and the A’ja Wilson Foundation.*

Friday, March 17

USC Jazz Festival Featuring Michael Dease and USC Jazz Faculty | Friday, Mar. 17 | 7:30 p.m. | USC School of Music Recital Hall, 813 Assembly St., Columbia | Free | Michael Dease is one of the world’s eminent trombonists, lending his versatile sound and signature improvisations to over 200 recordings and groups as diverse as Grammy winning artists David Sanborn, Christian McBride, Michel Camilo, and Alicia Keys.
Columbia Classical Ballet: Le Corsaire Suite | Friday, Mar. 17 | 7:30 p.m. | Koger Center for the Arts, 1051 Greene St., Columbia | $6 | Don’t miss Classic on Edge 2023, featuring Le Corsaire Suite, and “OSMO,” a world premiere commissioned by Artistic Director Brooklyn Mack, and created on Columbia Classic Ballet by South African choreographer Andile Ndlovu.

Saturday, March 18

Savage Craft St. Paddy’s Event | Saturday, March 18 | 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m. | Savage Craft Ale Works, 430 Center St., West Columbia | Free | Enjoy live music, Irish food, and delicious beer with no cover charge.*

Saturday, March 25

2023 Soiree on State | Saturday, March 25 | 2-8 p.m. | Cayce River Arts District, State Street from Poplar Street to Railroad Street, Cayce | Free | This annual event features art, a kids area with inflatables + more, food vendors, and live music — take advantage of free parking at Brookland Cayce High School.*

We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

100+ MORE EVENTS

OUTDOORS

Enjoy an outdoor getaway right here in Cola

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We love the Three Rivers Greenway year-round, but it’s especially magical in the spring. | Photo by Forrest Clonts

Here comes the sun, Cola. Spring is just one week away, and with winter in our rearview, we’re ready to feel the sun on our faces and breathe in some fresh air.

Lucky for us, our city suffers no shortage of options for outdoor adventures, with plenty of parks and trails where locals can walk, hike, run, and relax. Prefer the water? Columbia conveniently lies at the confluence of the Saluda and Broad Rivers, which merge to form the Congaree. And don’t forget about Lake Murray.

This brings us to a challenge for you, readers. We want to encourage you to get outside and enjoy our city’s natural beauty, yes, but we want to take it a step further. This spring, let’s enjoy our outdoors like we’re on vacation.

Here’s a list of suggestions to get you started on living it up like a tourist in our own backyard:

Congaree National Park | Hike the boardwalk + trails (or take in the views from a kayak or canoe).
Dreher Island State Park | Camp out on the shores of Lake Murray in a cabin, tent, or RV.
Three Rivers Greenway | Bike, walk, or jog along our 15.5-mile (and growing) riverfront trail system.
Sesquicentennial State Park | Try your hand at paddleboarding on this calm, 30-acre lake.
Harbison State Forest | Enjoy one of the largest public greenspaces inside the city limits of a metropolitan area in the eastern US.*

MORE IDEAS THIS WAY

NEWS NOTES

Weather

58º | Sunny | 0% chance of rain

Coming Soon

Capital City Cornhole, a climate-controlled indoor cornhole facility, plans to open in early April at 1223 Franklin St. in the former Cottontown Brew Lab. The new spot will have league play, tournament play, a pro shop, and serve food and drinks. 🌽
Metro Subs has a sign in the window at 504 Gervais St. near the intersection with Huger Street. The sub shop in the former Java Juice Cafe location is expected to open soon and is currently hiring. 🥖

Announced

The 2023 AFTCO Bassmaster Elite Fishing Series will be at Lake Murray April 20-23, one of nine destinations in the series. The “Bassmaster Champion” is up for grabs and anglers from across the country will compete for the title. With over 12 million viewers, keep up to date here. 🎣
Garvin Design Group won a Golden Nail Award at the Columbia Chamber’s 2023 Impact Awards for redevelopment of the Rosewood Church site now known as 5th & Sloan. Learn more about the project.*

Sports

The Gamecock baseball teamed continued with the hot bats over the weekend sweeping Bethune-Cookman in the three-game series. The Gamecocks are now 16-1, leading the country in home runs. The team hit four more dingers this weekend, three of those grand slams. ⚾️ (Gamecocks Online)

Plan Ahead

Arts and Draughts returns to the Columbia Museum of Art (CMA) on Friday, March 31. The quarterly event features live music from Jive Talk, Linqua Franqa, and The Planks along with art activities and food from Los Chicanos. The museum is open for exploring throughout the night. 🖼

Asked

What are the best locally rooted and inspired names for babies? Let us know some that come to mind.

Shop

Getting adjusted to daylight saving time? Take a sip from one of our coffee partners. Try Midnight Oil from Blanchard’s Coffee or Organic Matcha from Matcha Nude. We’re already feeling refreshed. ☕

Watch

Looking for some fresh snack ideas? Get inspired in less than a minute with three delicious stackables.*

Travel

Summer travel is just around the corner. On our radar: this mid-century modern stay in Martha’s Vineyard. For something a little more tropical, our pick is this seaside cottage in St. John. If international travel is calling your name, this charming home along the French Riviera is for you.*

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EAT

‘Tis the season 🦀

Soft-shell crabs from the SC coast are only in season a few months a year. | Photo by Mark Stebnicki via Pexels

Smoked (1643 Main St.) is getting its first batch of soft-shell crabs of the season, and Executive Chef Cody Ross — who recently won the Golden Ticket at the Taste of Lake Murray food competition — is wasting no time getting the Southern delicacy on plates and will serve them as the Chef’s feature tonight.

The soft-shell season typically starts in late March, but it depends on when the full moon occurs. That’s when the Atlantic blue crustaceans pop out of their hard shell and into the transitional soft shell allowing for summertime growth. This is also the perfect time to catch them at their most delicate and most delicious stage.

Ditch the crab shell crackers — you can eat these Lowcountry saltwater “softies,” shell and all.

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by David.

Editor’s pick: Cottontown Art Crawl lucked out with the weather this year, getting a gorgeous Saturday sandwiched between a few rainy days. Check out our Instagram Reel recapping a few moments from the day.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Prepare yourself to hurl, here.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Samantha Robertson, David Stringer, Erin McPherson, Emily Shea, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Dayten Rose, Sarah Leonhardt, Katie Smith| Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

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