Gamecocks to Play in Women's Crossover Classic

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina women’s basketball will be one of four teams to compete in the 2020 Women’s Bad Boy Mowers Crossover Classic at Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D., Nov. 28-30. The four-team round-robin event will include South Dakota, Gonzaga and Oklahoma as well.
 
“We’re excited to be involved in the Women’s Crossover Classic this season and travel to Sioux Falls, which is know is a great city for basketball,” South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley said. “Everyone we’ve worked with on this event has been wonderful, and I know it will be among the best run tournaments in the country. After working through a preseason that has looked really different than previous years, these three games will be great to determine where we are as a team early in the season.”
 
The four programs in the event have a combined 41 NCAA Tournament appearances along with 24 Sweet 16s, five Final Four banners and one national championship. Flo Hoops will broadcast all six games.
 
Tickets are $25 for each day (two games) and will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Nov. 12 at ticketmaster.com, with a limited amount available. Masks are required for all spectators and will be available free at the door.
 
“This event is going to be three special days of basketball,” said Jesse Smith, vice president of operations for the Sanford Sports Complex. “Both the No. 1 women’s and men’s college basketball teams in the country are going to be playing at the Sanford Pentagon within three weeks of each other, setting up a historic month of basketball.”
 
Bad Boy Mowers, based in Batesville, Ark., and nationally known for its zero-turn mowers, is the title sponsor of the tournament. The company has a long history of supporting major college basketball events and postseason college football games.
 
“Complete Sports Management is proud to partner with Sanford Health on the creation of the Women’s Bad Boy Mowers Crossover Classic, which will showcase some of the country’s top women’s basketball talent,” said Lea Miller, tournament director. “This will be another opportunity to highlight and amplify women’s college basketball.”
 
Sanford Health and the Sanford Pentagon will work closely with the schools and individual states to be ready to adjust based on guidelines and safety measures for all involved.
 
Jeremy Cauwels, M.D., who is the senior vice president of quality at Sanford Health, is also a member of the NCAA COVID-
19 Medical Advisory Group. The committee is responsible for providing guidance to NCAA Schools regarding training, practice and competition.
 
All members of each team’s traveling party will be tested regularly for COVID-19 once they arrive in Sioux Falls. All traveling members will remain in a controlled environment during their entire stay.
 
The addition of these three games means South Carolina’s eight-game non-conference schedule includes four teams that finished the 2019-20 season ranked in the top 20 in both national polls – UConn, NC State, Gonzaga and South Dakota. All four were either the regular-season or tournament champions in their conference.
 
Tournament Schedule (All times ET)
Nov. 28
3:30 p.m. – South Carolina vs. South Dakota
6 p.m. – Oklahoma vs. Gonzaga
 
Nov. 29
3:30 p.m. – Oklahoma vs South Carolina
6 p.m. – Gonzaga vs. South Dakota
 
Nov. 30
3:30 p.m. – South Carolina vs. Gonzaga
6 p.m. – South Dakota vs. Oklahoma