South Carolina women's basketball full 2026-27 schedule set, including UConn, UCLA

COLUMBIA — South Carolina women’s basketball’s schedule for the 2026-27 season is finally complete as the program released the official non-conference games.

The schedule features eight teams that were ranked in the Top 25 in ESPN’s way too early preseason rankings, including four in the top 10. The Gamecocks are the No. 1 team as of April, fueled by the transfer addition of Jordan Lee from Texas and coach Dawn Staley not losing any of her returners to the portal.

In December, the Gamecocks will have a chance to avenge the national championship loss to UCLA as the two teams will meet in Las Vegas for the Player’s Era Tournament. The Bruins are a much different team this season, as they lost six seniors to the WNBA.

South Carolina also has a Final Four rematch with UConn, the first meeting since it broke the Huskies undefeated streak and stopped their chances of repeating as champions. It’s the first time Staley and Geno Auriemma will meet since their heated exchange to end that game.

South Carolina will begin SEC play on Dec. 31. Poll rankings will change between now and then, but the conference schedule features six more ranked teams from the early Top 25.

Staley will kick off her 19th season with the program in Paris with a game against Maryland on Nov. 2.

• Nov. 2: vs. Maryland in Paris, France (neutral site)

• Nov. 8: vs North Carolina in Charlotte (neutral site)

• Nov. 12: at Clemson

• Nov. 15: vs. Southern Cal in Greenville, South Carolina (neutral site)

• Nov. 17: vs Florida Gulf Coast

• Nov. 21: at Providence

• Nov. 24: vs. UConn at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut (neutral site)

• Nov. 28: vs Tennessee State (PowHER Player Classic)

• Nov. 29: championship game for PowHER Player Classic

• Dec. 3: at Duke (ACC-SEC Challenge)

• Dec. 6: vs. Oklahoma State

• Dec. 12: vs. Wofford

• Dec. 16: vs Albany

• Dec. 19: vs. UCLA (Player’s Era Tournament in Las Vegas)

• Dec. 20: vs. Notre Dame (Player’s Era Tournament in Las Vegas)

• Dec. 28: vs Gardner-Webb

• Dec. 31 vs Alabama

• Jan. 3 at Texas

• Jan. 7 at Mississippi State

• Jan. 10 vs Arkansas

• Jan. 14 vs Oklahoma

• Jan. 17 at Missouri

• Jan. 28 at Tennessee

• Jan. 21 vs Florida

• Jan. 31 vs Kentucky

• Feb. 4 at Vanderbilt

• Feb. 8 vs Texas A&M

• Feb. 14 at Ole Miss

• Feb. 21 vs LSU

• Feb. 25 vs Auburn

• Feb. 28 at Georgia

Nov. 2: vs. Maryland in Paris, France (neutral site)

Nov. 8: vs North Carolina in Charlotte (neutral site)

Nov. 15: vs. Southern Cal in Greenville, South Carolina (neutral site)

Nov. 24: vs. UConn at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut (neutral site)

Nov. 28: vs Tennessee State (PowHER Player Classic)

Nov. 29: championship game for PowHER Player Classic

Dec. 3: at Duke (ACC-SEC Challenge)

Dec. 19: vs. UCLA (Player’s Era Tournament in Las Vegas)

Dec. 20: vs. Notre Dame (Player’s Era Tournament in Las Vegas)

Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at LKesin@usatodayco.com. Follow her on X@Lulukesin and Bluesky ‪@bylulukesin.bsky.social‬