South Florida Set to Host Powerhouse South Carolina in Major December Matchup
TAMPA, Fla. – June 5, 2025 – A major non-conference showdown is on the horizon as South Florida women’s basketball is scheduled to face three-time national champion South Carolina at the Yuengling Center on Thursday, Dec. 18, as part of a home-and-home series. Details on tipoff time and broadcast network will be released in the coming months.
USF head coach Jose Fernandez, known for consistently crafting one of the nation’s toughest schedules, continues to challenge his squad at the highest level. The Gamecocks will be the second Top-10 program to visit Tampa in the 2025–26 season. Earlier this year, South Florida announced a home clash against Duke, which ended the 2024–25 campaign ranked No. 7 in the AP Top 25, set for Nov. 20 at the Yuengling Center.
This December meeting will mark the third all-time matchup between South Florida and South Carolina, with the Bulls still searching for their first win in the series. Last season, the Bulls battled but ultimately fell 78-62 in Columbia, S.C. Notably, that 16-point margin was South Carolina’s fourth-smallest non-conference win of the season.
The Gamecocks, led by legendary head coach Dawn Staley, wrapped up the 2024–25 season with a 35-4 record, including a trip to the NCAA Championship game and a Final Four berth, their seventh in program history. Though they came up short against UConn, South Carolina still finished the season ranked No. 2 in the final AP Poll.
Meanwhile, USF capped off a strong 2024–25 season, finishing 23-11 overall and 13-4 in AAC play. It marked Coach Fernandez’s 14th consecutive season with at least 19 wins, and his 12th 20-win season. The Bulls secured their fourth conference title and 10th NCAA Tournament appearance by storming through the 2025 AAC Tournament, defeating Tulane, North Texas, and Rice on back-to-back-to-back days.
📚 About South Florida Women’s Basketball
In 25 seasons under Coach Jose Fernandez, South Florida has made 19 postseason appearances, including 10 NCAA Tournament berths. As the winningest coach in program history, Fernandez has tallied 485 career wins, led the Bulls to 12 seasons with 20+ victories, two WNIT Final Fours, and captured the 2008–09 WNIT Championship. He remains the all-time wins leader in American Athletic Conference history.
