NCAA tournament preview: Northridge vs. South Carolina

No. 16 CSUN (18-14) vs. No. 1 South Carolina (27-4)

Sunday at Alaska Airlines Arena, Seattle

How they got here: Northridge won the Big West Conference regular-season championship and also won the conference tournament. South Carolina won the Southeastern Conference regular-season title but lost to Kentucky in the SEC tournament semifinals.

Last 10 games: Northridge 8-2, South Carolina 8-2.

Cal State Northridge lineup: Starters — G Ashlee Guay (16.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg), G Janae Sharpe (12.5 ppg), G Cinnamon Lister (15.3 ppg), F Randi Friess (5.0 rpg), C Camille Mahlknecht (7.7 ppg, 7.3 rpg). Top reserves – C Bernadette Fong (6.2 ppg), G Breeyon Alexander (3.0 rpg), G Haley White (1.6 ppg).

South Carolina lineup: Starters — G Tiffany Mitchell (15.2 ppg, 5.5 rpg), F Aleighsa Welch (13.7 ppg, 7.5 rpg), C Elem Ibiam (9.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg), G Khadijah Sessions (7.3 ppg), F Asia Dozier (6.0 ppg). Top reserves — C Alaina Coates (12.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg), G Tina Roy (3.7 ppg).

It’s a fact: South Carolina has always been good defensively under sixth-year Coach Dawn Staley. The Gamecocks give up only 55 points per game. A matchup against an SEC opponent does not bode well for Northridge. The Matadors are 0-5 all-time against SEC teams. Cal State Northridge lost to Alabama in 2006-07.