MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The last time Katrina Merriweather visited South Carolina, the year was 2002. Back then she was just a graduate assistant coach with the University of Cincinnati.
Merriweather did not even travel with the team when Cincinnati took on South Carolina in the second round of the 2002 NCAA Tournament.
"I wasn't able to travel with the team because I was doing student teaching, so I couldn't miss all those days," she said. "I had a mentor of mine that drove me from Cincinnati, Ohio to Columbia, South Carolina. That way I got an opportunity to sit on the bench and it was technically you know, my first NCAA tournament as a coach."
When she visits Colonial Life Arena this Saturday, it will be as the head coach of the Memphis Tigers against the number one team in the country and one of the best coaches in Dawn Staley.
Merriweather's Tigers will take on Staley and the South Carolina Gamecocks. Memphis is fresh off two losses in the Las Vegas Invitational, falling to undefeated St. Johns and #5 Indiana.
Merriweather joked she has not gotten much sleep gearing up for South Carolina. Playing higher competition is as much about improvement for future seasons as it is jockeying for position in March.
"I think our goal is always to play in postseason, we want to make sure that our (NET Ranking) is high enough, want to make sure we're winning the amount of games that we need to whether it's an at large bid or winning the conference tournament," Merriweather said. "I think going to South Carolina is very similar to when we went to the NCAA Tournament in 2019, and went to Texas A&M, you're having to play them at their place and to have that experience already is something that could benefit us, we hope this year, but for the future of our program as we continue to grow."
Ahead of the Gamecocks' 2021 season, Staley sent pieces of her 2017 championship net to each black women's head coach across the country, including Merriweather. It was a way to inspire them in the same way Carolyn Peck inspired Staley when she won a championship as the head coach of Purdue in 1999.
The Tigers coach had high praise for what Staley does for the game of women's basketball.
"There's no doubt that that she's just a tremendous part of our game," Merriweather said. "Not just because she's winning national championships, but because she speaks up for women. She speaks up for women's basketball, she gets us representation as African American women in this profession."
Merriweather also said Staley's been available as a resource for advice and to learn from. Saturday may be a different kind of lesson, but Merriweather and her Tigers are not afraid of the challenge.
She noted that players on her roster have played in the NCAA tournament and taken on UConn when Memphis was a part of the Big East.
"One thing is for sure, we're not afraid," Merriweather said. "We absolutely respect everything that every team brings to the table no matter who it is."
Tip-off is Saturday at 2 p.m. The game can be seen on the SEC Network.