South Carolina to Face Louisville in ACC/SEC Challenge Rematch on December 4
The South Carolina Gamecocks will travel to Louisville on December 4 as part of this year’s ACC/SEC Challenge, reigniting a long-standing rivalry with deep historical roots and national championship implications.
South Carolina holds a dominant 18-4 all-time record over Louisville, with most of those meetings taking place between 1980 and 1991 during their days in the Metro Conference. However, since that period, the two powerhouse programs have only faced off twice—both times in high-stakes matchups, and both times South Carolina emerged victorious and later claimed national titles.
On November 27, 2016, then-No. 3 South Carolina soundly defeated No. 4 Louisville 83-59 in Springfield, Massachusetts, during the Basketball Hall of Fame Women’s Challenge. The two teams met again in the 2022 NCAA Final Four, where South Carolina rolled to a 72-59 win in Minneapolis—paving the way to their national championship that year. These wins form a powerful omen: each time the Gamecocks defeated Louisville, they went on to win it all.
This upcoming clash will mark the third year of the ACC/SEC Challenge, a marquee event that pairs elite programs from both conferences. South Carolina has been flawless so far, with back-to-back wins—defeating North Carolina on the road in 2023 and hosting and beating Duke in 2024. The inaugural year ended in a 7-7 tie, but the SEC claimed bragging rights in the second year with a 10-6 edge.
Louisville is now the sixth confirmed non-conference opponent for South Carolina’s 2025 season. Here’s how their schedule is shaping up:
- November 15: South Carolina travels to Los Angeles to face Southern Cal.
- December 4: Road game at Louisville.
- December 18: Visit to South Florida.
- Thanksgiving weekend: Participation in the Players Era Championship in Las Vegas, alongside Duke, Texas, and UCLA.
Meanwhile, the annual heated rivalry against Clemson has yet to be officially confirmed, but given tradition, it’s highly likely the Tigers will be added, which would make them the seventh non-conference opponent.
One notable absence from this season’s lineup is UConn. The high-profile home-and-home series that began in 2015 concluded last season, and no new agreement has been announced.
With about seven non-conference games still to be scheduled, fans can expect South Carolina to continue building a challenging slate as they aim to defend their legacy and set the tone for another national title run.
