UConn and South Carolina headline the 13th Annual Basketball Hall of Fame Women’s Showcase on November 24, and the stakes have never been higher
When the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame wants to make a statement about where women’s college basketball stands right now, it books UConn and South Carolina. And that’s exactly what it’s done.
The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced that perennial powerhouses UConn and South Carolina, winners of eight of the last 12 national championships, will headline the 13th annual Basketball Hall of Fame Women’s Showcase on November 24, 2026, at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. The matchup isn’t just a marquee early-season event — it’s a certified blockbuster that doubles as a rematch of one of the most high-profile championship games the sport has ever produced.
A Rematch Twelve Months in the Making
The game marks a rematch of the 2025 NCAA Championship game, which the Huskies won to claim UConn’s 12th national title. That game, played in Tampa, sent shockwaves through the sport — ending South Carolina’s run at back-to-back championships and reestablishing UConn as the sport’s standard-bearer at the exact moment the rivalry had tilted firmly toward the Gamecocks.
The two programs have played at least once in each of the last 11 seasons, with the Gamecocks holding a 5-3 edge over the Huskies in the last six matchups. They have met twice in the NCAA National Championship game, splitting the two victories. Every time these two programs share a floor, the sport notices. Every call, every run, every final-second play gets dissected and debated for weeks.
Bringing that rivalry back to Mohegan Sun in November — at the very start of a season where both programs will arrive burning with motivation — is as compelling a season-opening storyline as women’s basketball has produced in some time.
Two Hall of Fame Coaches, One Legendary Stage
What makes this matchup even more historically resonant is the sideline dynamic. The matchup features two Hall of Fame head coaches — Geno Auriemma of UConn and Dawn Staley of South Carolina — two coaches who have not only built championship programs but have helped elevate women’s basketball to entirely new heights.
“Coach Auriemma and Coach Staley have not only built championship programs but have also helped elevate women’s basketball to new heights,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. “Having two Hall of Famers leading their teams in this marquee matchup perfectly represents our mission to honor the past, celebrate the present, and inspire the future of basketball.”
For Staley and Auriemma, this game will carry the weight of the Tampa result. It is November, not March — but when these two coaches are involved, every game between these programs is treated like a final.
A Loaded Showcase Card That Reflects the Sport’s Rise
UConn and South Carolina aren’t the only story in Uncasville that day. UCLA Women’s Basketball will also participate in the 2026 Women’s Showcase, facing off against St. John’s University at Mohegan Sun on Tuesday, November 24.
UCLA head coach Cori Close expressed genuine enthusiasm about the platform: “We are so excited to take part in the Basketball Hall of Fame Women’s Showcase again. This event always helps us prepare to be at our best and compete at the highest level. To have a national platform to grow the game, we couldn’t be more thrilled.”
The UCLA-St. John’s addition means Mohegan Sun will host four programs of national pedigree on the same day — a showcase card that would have been unimaginable a decade ago. The 2026 Basketball Hall of Fame Women’s Showcase is starting to feel less like a November showcase and more like a national spotlight for the sport’s continued rise.
Mohegan Sun Arena president and GM Jeff Hamilton captured the significance of the occasion: “Our longstanding relationships with both the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and UConn have brought countless unforgettable moments to Mohegan Sun Arena, and that tradition continues next fall with a marquee matchup between UConn and South Carolina, two of the powerhouse programs in all of women’s college basketball.”
South Carolina’s Return to a Familiar Venue
For the Gamecocks specifically, this is a return to a showcase environment they know well. South Carolina previously played in the Basketball Hall of Fame Women’s Showcase, posting a 78-69 win over No. 11 Utah on December 10, 2023. They know what the stage looks and feels like — and if Ashlyn Watkins, Chloe Kitts, and the rest of Dawn Staley’s rebuilt frontcourt are ready to roll by late November, the Gamecocks will arrive in Uncasville with something very specific to prove.
South Carolina has also announced participation in the 2026 Oui Play event, facing Maryland in November — meaning the Gamecocks’ non-conference schedule is shaping up to be one of the most challenging and high-profile slates in the country before January even arrives.
Tickets for the 2026 Women’s Showcase will go on sale in September. Additional game times, broadcast details, and credentialing information are to be announced at a later date.
November 24 is six months away. But in women’s college basketball, the anticipation starts now.
