South Carolina Women’s Basketball Drops Full 2025-26 Schedule
The wait is over — South Carolina women’s basketball officially unveiled its complete 2025-26 schedule on Friday.
Coming off a 34-5 campaign that ended in the national championship game, the Gamecocks will tip off the new season on Nov. 3 at Colonial Life Arena against Grand Canyon.
Let’s break down the most intriguing matchups, from early-season tests to SEC showdowns, and see how this slate stacks up against years past.
Familiar Faces on the Sidelines
- Nov. 3 vs. Grand Canyon
- Nov. 7 vs. Bowling Green State
Dawn Staley’s team will open the year against two programs led by her former assistants.
Grand Canyon is coached by Winston Gandy, who spent two years on South Carolina’s staff before landing the job in April. A few days later, Bowling Green State comes to Columbia, led by Fred Chmiel — a longtime Gamecock assistant from 2015–2023 now entering his third season with the Falcons.
Key Non-Conference Clashes
- Nov. 15 vs. Southern Cal
- Nov. 26 vs. Duke
- Nov. 27 vs. UCLA or Texas
- Dec. 4 at Louisville
One of the most anticipated games when it was announced — South Carolina vs. Southern Cal — has lost some star power. Originally billed as a showdown between Juju Watkins and MiLaysia Fulwiley, the matchup took a hit after Watkins tore her ACL in the NCAA Tournament and Fulwiley transferred to LSU.
Still, the game promises to be an early-season Top 25 battle in a packed NBA arena.
The Gamecocks will also take part in the Players Era Championship in Las Vegas, where they’ll face Duke in an Elite Eight rematch before meeting either Texas (Final Four rematch) or UCLA (another Final Four team that beat USC in last year’s regular season).
Later in the non-conference slate, South Carolina heads to Louisville for the ACC-SEC Challenge. It will be just the third time the two programs meet, with USC holding a 2-0 edge — most notably defeating the Cardinals in the 2022 Final Four.
SEC Showdowns to Watch
- Jan. 15 vs. Texas
- Feb. 8 vs. Tennessee
- Feb. 15 at LSU
Fans will see plenty of Texas, as the Gamecocks could meet the Longhorns up to four times again this season. The most notable clash comes Jan. 15 in Columbia — an early SEC litmus test.
Tennessee nearly upset South Carolina last year in Knoxville before advancing to the Sweet 16. Their Feb. 8 rematch at Colonial Life Arena could be the biggest home SEC game of the season outside of Texas.
But the most anticipated matchup? A Feb. 15 trip to Baton Rouge to face LSU. Since Kim Mulkey’s arrival, the rivalry has become must-watch basketball. South Carolina owns a 17-game win streak over LSU, but this year brings added intrigue after MiLaysia Fulwiley transferred to the Tigers.
No UConn on the Slate for the First Time in a Decade
For the first time in 11 seasons, South Carolina won’t play UConn in the regular season.
After the Gamecocks missed out on the No. 1 overall seed in the 2025 NCAA Tournament, Staley hinted she might rethink her scheduling approach:
*“I’d like to get some feedback on how they came to that conclusion. Because we put together, we manufactured a schedule that, if done right, it should produce the overall No. 1 seed.
But I will say this: We’re going to make adjustments to our schedule in the future if the standard is the standard. If that’s the standard, then we can play any schedule and get a No. 1 seed.”*
Even without UConn, the Gamecocks’ slate remains demanding. South Carolina will face at least seven non-conference NCAA Tournament teams from last season — with all but one game either on the road or at a neutral site.
Balancing High-Major and Mid-Major Opponents
This year’s schedule includes seven high-major teams and eight mid-majors, the first time since 2022–23 that USC faces more mid-majors than high-majors. Still, the balance hasn’t shifted dramatically compared to previous years (9/5 in 2024–25, 7/6 in 2023–24, 5/8 in 2022–23).
Final Thoughts
The 2025-26 schedule reflects what fans have come to expect from Dawn Staley: a mix of high-stakes showdowns, emotional ties with former assistants, and a brutal road through the SEC. Even without UConn, the Gamecocks’ path is packed with NCAA-caliber opponents, setting the stage for another run at a national title.
