Hours before South Carolina game, Texas WBB gets massive support from Gamecocks alum A'ja Wilson
Defending national champions and top-seeded South Carolina are set to make their fourth straight Final Four appearance in the NCAA Women’s Tournament against the Texas Longhorns.
One of their most iconic players, A’ja Wilson, led South Carolina to its first-ever championship in the 2016-2017 season and remains a legendary figure for the program.
However, Wilson was seen spending time with the Texas players hours ahead of the game. In an unexpected move, she gifted them something exclusive, an item she did not offer to her alma mater, showing massive support to the Longhorns.
“The best night, Thank you, @aja22wilson,” Texas’ official social media account posted on X.
The reigning WNBA MVP provided the Longhorns with her signature Nike "A’One" shoes in the debut "Pink A’ura" colorway. These standout sneakers will be on full display during Friday night’s highly anticipated SEC clash at Amalie Arena.
Wilson personally handed out the pink A’One shoes to the Texas squad, leaving a strong impression on the players.
“Here to compete”: Coach Vic Schaefer’s message ahead of Final Four against South Carolina
The Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Women’s Tournament is set to feature an all-SEC battle between the South Carolina Gamecocks (34-3) and the Texas Longhorns (35-3).
Texas coach Vic Schaefer emphasized that his team’s journey isn’t over yet as they prepare for the next game,
“First, just really proud of my team. They have shown great toughness and resilience all year long. Not much has been made of our potentially, early in the year, losing two starters, and yet this team just continues to work and get better,” said Schaefer in the pregame press conference.
“For them, in our first year in the SEC, to go in there and be co-champions with South Carolina is, winning is really hard, y’all. People think it’s easy, till it ain't...We have a thing right now that, you know, the job’s not done. We’re excited that we got past the Elite Eight in Birmingham, but these kids are here to compete, and so am I.”
The matchup takes place at Amalie Arena in Tampa. Here are some details:
Date: Friday, April 4
Time: 7:00 PM ET
Venue: Amalie Arena, Tampa, FL
TV: ESPN/ESPN2
Live Streaming: fuboTV
With both teams eyeing a spot in the championship game, the stage is set for an intense battle under the bright lights of the Final Four.