Sports

Rematch of North Carolina, South Carolina should be far different three months later in NCAAs

Associated Press
Published | Updated

South Carolina center Alaina Coates smiles while speaking during a news conference at the NCAA college basketball tournament in Stanford, Calif., Saturday, March 29, 2014. South Carolina plays North Carolina in a regional semifinal on Sunday. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) (The Associated Press)

South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley speaks during a news conference at the NCAA college basketball tournament in Stanford, Calif., Saturday, March 29, 2014. South Carolina plays North Carolina in a regional semifinal on Sunday. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) (The Associated Press)

Just three months ago, North Carolina handed South Carolina its first loss of the season with an eight-point win on a neutral court in Myrtle Beach.

The stage is far bigger now as they gear up to face off again, both teams just two wins away from a trip to the Final Four.

South Carolina coach Dawn Staley sees little benefit in studying tape from that December meeting in preparations for Sunday night's rematch at the NCAA tournament Stanford Regional semifinals.

The fourth-seeded Tar Heels (26-9) hope to keep winning so they can welcome coach Sylvia Hatchell back to the bench after her battle with leukemia. Doctors have said she has a good chance to travel to Nashville, Tenn., if North Carolina can reach the Final Four for the first time since 2007.