Updates on South Carolina vs Maryland Gameday: Everything to Know

South Carolina women’s basketball is preparing for an international season opener in Paris, with Dawn Staley emphasizing player safety while looking forward to the competitive and cultural opportunities the trip will provide.

The Gamecocks are scheduled to face Maryland in the Oui-Play double-header on Monday, alongside the matchup between Oklahoma and North Carolina. Although demonstrations and heightened security concerns have drawn attention across France, the games are expected to proceed as planned, with teams and event organizers working to ensure a safe environment.

Student protests that began in mid-September have spread throughout Paris and other parts of Europe. Some demonstrations in the French capital have become violent, prompting localized curfews and earlier business closures.

The U.S. State Department has issued a Level 2 travel advisory for France, encouraging visitors to “Exercise increased caution.” The advisory system’s higher levels recommend reconsidering travel or avoiding it altogether. Paris also hosted an NFL International Series game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints on October 25 without reported problems.

Staley said the Gamecocks have been receiving information about conditions in Paris and communicating with those responsible for organizing the event.

“We’ve been talking about it,” Staley said. “We’ve actually got people who are there that’s given us just some insight on how things are. I think they’re closing stores a lot earlier. The event organizers, they know we don’t want to put any of our teams, our players, in harm’s way, and they assured us that the place is secured. There is a security organization that all the teams have to make sure that it’s a safe environment.”

Specific security arrangements have not been publicly detailed, with concerns that releasing sensitive information could compromise safety. Complete Sports Management, the event organizer, did not respond to an email seeking further information.

Early Preparation for a Different Kind of Trip

The Gamecocks have several activities planned during their visit, beginning Thursday. However, enhanced security measures mean the program is limiting how much information it shares publicly about those events in advance.

Beyond safety, the team must also adjust to the time difference. Paris is five hours ahead of Columbia, South Carolina, so Staley scheduled a 6 a.m. practice on Wednesday before the team boarded its flight later that day.

The early workout was intended to help players become tired enough to rest during the journey. Staley had received some playful complaints when she announced the schedule the previous day, but she viewed the exercise as a practical way to prepare the group.

“We’re practicing at six, and hopefully that will tire them out so they just get on the plane, they go to sleep, and enjoy it,” Staley said. “We actually haven’t experienced a whole lot of commercial flights. So they’ll put our habits to the test when it comes to traveling. I’m looking forward to seeing what this group is. (We’ve) got a really good group. They’re really good. They like each other, and we’re hoping that produces a lot of wins for us.”

Staley joked that the team’s primary objective was simply “a win,” but the trip offers much more than a result on the scoreboard. Facing a ranked opponent provides an early test, while the international experience gives many players an opportunity they have never had before. Only Chloe Kitts, Ashlyn Watkins and Tessa Johnson were part of South Carolina’s Paris trip to begin the 2023–24 season.

Joyce Edwards is among those excited about the opportunity.

“I’m very excited,” Joyce Edwards said. “Paris is a great place to be. It’s just an honor to have the opportunity to play there.”

A Valuable Opportunity for International Recruiting

The trip also carries potential benefits for South Carolina’s recruiting efforts and its growing international connections. France has become an important source of women’s basketball talent, making the game an opportunity to introduce the program to a broader audience.

It also gives French players Alicia Tournebize and Justine Loubens a chance to return to their home country with their college teammates.

Staley believes experiences like these can help young international athletes understand the opportunities available through American college basketball.

“I think that’s exactly what it is, an opportunity to just showcase what other opportunities (there) are for, especially women, especially when they’re growing up in other countries,” Staley said. “I think they probably grow up wanting to be pros. There’s an opportunity for them to get an education in the US and experience March Madness, experience just life in a different country. Those life experiences are truly great. If we can find another Frenchie, I think it would be great for us and our program.”

Although neither player is from Paris, both will be considerably closer to home than they usually are during the college season. Tournebize is from Vichy, in central France, and previously played for Tango Bourges Basket in Bourges. Loubens comes from L’Isle-Jourdain, near Toulouse in southern France, and played for Roche Vendee in La Roche-sur-Yon, in western France.

Their families and other supporters will have an opportunity to watch them compete in their home country, adding a personal dimension to the international assignment.

More Than Basketball

For Staley, the trip represents a balance between competition, responsibility and cultural discovery. The players will have opportunities to participate in clinics, visit landmarks such as the Louvre and experience French culture outside the arena.

“It’s a business trip,” Staley said. “But it’s also an opportunity for them to experience being in Ali’s and Justine’s home country, them getting back and experiencing their families seeing them play. And also, just all the festivities. It’s a great experience outside the basketball court. Going to clinics and visiting the Louvre, and all those other things that they do really make the trip go.”

South Carolina’s priorities remain clear: protect the team, prepare for Maryland and make the most of a rare international experience. With a ranked opponent waiting and two French players returning closer to home, the Paris opener offers the Gamecocks a meaningful opportunity both on and off the court.

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