How a book recommendation helped Tennessee Tech prep for South Carolina in NCAA bracket
COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina and Tennessee Tech meet Friday in a No. 1 vs. No. 16, for the teams’ second meeting in Women's March Madness history.
The first one?
“Child, I didn't talk about that,” South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said when asked if she had discussed it with her players.
In 1989, 11th-seeded Tennessee Tech took down No. 6 South Carolina 77-73.
This year’s Golden Eagles said they haven’t talked about it either. But they’re aware.
Watch South Carolina vs. Tennessee Tech on Fubo
“Obviously, there's been some articles,” sophomore guard Reghan Grimes said. “Other people in the Cookeville community that have been around forever have been like, ‘It's happened before.’”
Tennessee Tech’s media notes for Friday’s first-round game against the Gamecocks include a copy of the original box score from the 1989 upset.
The Gamecocks were on a nine-game winning streak, led by Beth Hunt, who had a double-double (31 points, 12 rebounds) in the loss. Tennessee Tech trailed until the second half, where things changed. With 9 minutes to go, Renay Adams broke a tie with a 3-pointer. The teams went back and forth until the final seconds, when the Golden Eagles made enough free throws to make history in defeating the Gamecocks.
As the underdogs again entering Friday’s game, the Golden Eagles have not only been preparing physically but also mentally. Tennessee Tech is on a 17-game winning streak. After the Golden Eagles' last loss, on Jan. 9, head coach Kim Rosamond started reading a book titled “The Obstacle Is The Way.”
Rosamond then tasked the whole team, assistant coaches and team managers included, with reading the book.
“That is part of who our program is, part of who we are,” Rosamond said. “Obviously, we get to teach basketball. But most of all, we get to teach life lessons through basketball.”
Grimes had a copy of the book with her in the locker room Thursday, complete with a note from Rosamond inscribed inside the front cover and tabs to mark certain pages.
The book is about “making obstacles our superpower,” Grimes said.
“Your mindset is like, ‘Oh, this is an obstacle,’” Grimes said. “(The book is about) changing your mindset from that to, ‘This might be a little bump in the road, but how do we get through it?’”
The Eagles got through an obstacle 36 years ago. Another is ahead on Friday – wearing black and garnet, again.
Sarah Sims is a student in the University of Georgia's Sports Media Certificate program.