Gamecocks Release 2018-19 Non-Conference Schedule
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina women’s basketball head coach Dawn Staley released today her team’s 14-game non-conference schedule for 2018-19 that includes up to seven games against 2018 NCAA Tournament teams. Seven of the 14 games are set for Colonial Life Arena, including visits from arch-rival Clemson and NCAA Tournament participants Baylor, Dayton and Maryland.
Including its SEC slate, the Gamecocks’ 2018-19 schedule includes as many as 17 games against teams that participated in the 2018 postseason, highlighted by as up to 14 versus 2018 NCAA Tournament teams. Seven of the 17 games will be in Colonial Life Arena.
“I know our ‘FAMS’ have been anxiously waiting for this moment,” Staley said. “I’m just excited to share our super competitive non-conference schedule. We build our schedule around knowing we have the best attended games in the country. We are counting on every one of them to continue giving us a championship atmosphere.”
Following a Nov. 2 exhibition game against Lander, the Gamecocks opens the regular season on the road as they travel to Alabama State for a Nov. 11 tipoff. South Carolina makes its official Colonial Life Arena debut on Nov. 15 against in-state rival Clemson, looking to extend an eight-game win streak against the Tigers. Maryland comes to Columbia on Nov. 18 eying payback for the Gamecocks’ win on its home court last season.
The Gamecocks will spend Thanksgiving weekend in Canada, co-headlining the Vancouver Showcase Nov. 22-24. All but one of the eight teams in the event participated in the 2018 postseason, including seven NCAA Tournament teams. The field features the last two NCAA Tournament champion, as 2018 titlist Notre Dame tops the other side of the bracket from the Gamecocks. South Carolina will take on WNIT participant ETSU on the opening day of the event and will face either Oregon State, which advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight last season, or NCAA participant Western Kentucky on day two. The final day will bring a matchup with Notre Dame, Gonzaga, Drake or Rutgers.
Back in the United States, South Carolina opens a three-game homestand against Dayton, another NCAA qualifier, on Nov. 28. December begins with the SEC/Big 12 Challenge, which brings NCAA Sweet 16 team Baylor to Columbia on Dec. 2. The Gamecocks round out the home stretch against Appalachian State on Dec. 5.
A pair of road trips bookend the Gamecocks’ exam period as they travel to Duke, which played in the NCAA Sweet 16 last season, on Dec. 9 and Purdue on Dec. 16. Back at Colonial Life Arena, South Carolina hosts Staley’s former team, Temple, on Dec. 21, and completes its pre-SEC slate on Dec. 30 against Furman.
For the fifth-straight season, the Gamecocks will play their final non-conference game during a break in SEC play when they travel to NCAA semifinalist UConn on Feb. 11.
Game times and television broadcast information for the entire 2018-19 schedule will be released at a later time.
South Carolina’s 2018-19 non-conference schedule is:
Fri., Nov. 2 – Lander (Exh.)
Sun., Nov. 11 – at Alabama State
Thu., Nov. 15 – Clemson
Sun., Nov. 18 – Maryland
Nov. 22-24 – Vancouver Showcase (includes ETSU, Oregon State, Western Kentucky, Notre Dame, Gonzaga, Rutgers, Drake)
Wed., Nov. 28 – Dayton
Sun., Dec. 2 – Baylor (SEC/Big 12 Challenge)
Wed., Dec. 5 – Appalachian State
Sun., Dec. 9 – at Duke
Sun., Dec. 16 – at Purdue
Fri., Dec. 21 – Temple
Sun., Dec. 30 – Furman
Mon., Feb. 11 – at UConn
Fans interested in buying South Carolina women’s basketball 2018-19 season tickets can place a deposit by visiting ItsGreatToBeAGamecock.com/wbb18 or by calling the Gamecock Ticket Office at 1-800-4SC-FANS.
