Source: On3
South Carolina women’s basketball is navigating one of the most challenging schedules in college basketball, and so far, the Gamecocks are passing the test with flying colors.
Recent Success Maintains National Standing
The Gamecocks secured two significant victories last week, starting with a hard-fought win over the Texas Longhorns on Thursday—a sweet revenge victory after falling to the Longhorns in a neutral-site Thanksgiving matchup earlier this season. The back-and-forth thriller showcased South Carolina’s resilience and championship mettle.
In an unusual scheduling twist, Carolina then traveled to Baltimore for a meeting with Coppin State as part of their MLK weekend commitment to HBCU programs. The Gamecocks dominated that contest, cruising to a 90-48 victory.
Those wins pushed South Carolina to an impressive 19-1 overall record and a perfect 5-0 mark in Southeastern Conference play. When the updated AP Top 25 poll was released Monday, the Gamecocks maintained their No. 2 ranking—the highest position among SEC teams.
The SEC’s Dominance in Women’s Basketball
South Carolina’s No. 2 ranking leads a remarkable nine total SEC teams featured in the AP Top 25, underscoring the conference’s unprecedented depth and competitive strength this season. The Southeastern Conference has established itself as the nation’s premier women’s basketball league, and the Gamecocks sit atop that mountain.
A Schedule Built for Champions
What makes South Carolina’s 19-1 record even more impressive is the gauntlet they’ve navigated—and what still lies ahead. The 2025-2026 schedule includes games against 11 currently ranked opponents, a murderer’s row that would test any program in the country.
Ranked opponents faced so far:
- Texas Longhorns (No. 4): Split the series 1-1
- Duke Blue Devils (No. 21): Victory
- Louisville Cardinals (No. 8): Victory
- Alabama Crimson Tide (No. 23): Victory
Ranked opponents still on the schedule:
- Oklahoma Sooners (No. 16)
- Vanderbilt Commodores (No. 5)
- Tennessee Lady Volunteers (No. 20)
- LSU Tigers (No. 6)
- Ole Miss Rebels (No. 18)
- Kentucky Wildcats (No. 11)
Additionally, South Carolina has already defeated Georgia in conference play, a team currently receiving votes in the AP poll.
The Road Ahead: Two Critical Tests This Week
The Gamecocks now shift back into full-time SEC competition, and the schedule doesn’t get any easier. After one more road contest, South Carolina will return to Colonial Life Arena to face another ranked challenger.
Thursday, January 22nd: at Oklahoma Sooners
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Lloyd Noble Center, Norman, Oklahoma
- TV: ESPN (also streaming on ESPN app)
- Oklahoma ranking: No. 16
The Sooners will provide a hostile environment and a motivated opponent looking to make a statement against the SEC’s best. This road test will challenge South Carolina’s ability to handle pressure away from home against a ranked conference foe.
Sunday, January 25th: vs. Vanderbilt Commodores
- Time: 3:00 p.m. ET
- Location: Colonial Life Arena, Columbia, South Carolina
- TV: ESPN (also streaming on ESPN app)
- Vanderbilt ranking: No. 5
This might be the biggest regular-season game of the year so far. Vanderbilt enters the week as the only SEC team with an unblemished overall record, and they’re ranked just three spots behind South Carolina in the national poll. The matchup between the conference’s top two teams promises to be a showcase of elite women’s basketball.
Championship Implications
South Carolina’s ability to navigate this relentless schedule will define their season. While they’ve already proven they can beat ranked opponents—going 3-1 against currently ranked teams—the consistency required to maintain excellence against this level of competition week after week separates good teams from great ones.
The Gamecocks’ remaining schedule features six more games against top-25 opponents, meaning nearly every week will bring a potential résumé-defining opportunity or a threat to their championship aspirations.
With Dawn Staley’s leadership and a roster that has shown both resilience (the Texas revenge game) and dominance (the Coppin State beatdown), South Carolina appears built to handle the pressure. But in a conference as loaded as the SEC has proven to be, nothing can be taken for granted.
The next seven days—with back-to-back ranked opponents including an undefeated Vanderbilt squad—will provide another critical measuring stick for where these Gamecocks truly stand in the national championship race.
