South Carolina announced its nonconference schedule on Friday. With the SEC slate already announced, the Gamecocks have their full season complete.
The Gamecocks open the season with a three-game homestand that includes a pair of games against former assistant coaches. South Carolina begins the season on November 3 against Grand Canyon. It is the first game of a home-and-home with the Antelopes. South Carolina will travel to Phoenix in 2027.
Grand Canyon is entering its first season under former Gamecock assistant Winston Gandy. Former Gamecock staff member Chloe Rice is now on Gandy’s staff, as well. The programs have never met. Grand Canyon went 32-3 last season and made its first NCAA tournament appearance.
Next, South Carolina hosts Bowling Green, which is entering its third season under former Gamecock assistant Fred Chmiel. This is the return game of a home-and-home that began in 2023 as a favor to Chmiel in his first season. South Carolina won that game 93-63.
The Gamecocks also beat the Falcons 83-50 in 1990 in a first-round NCAA Tournament game in Columbia. The Falcons went 18-13 (11-7 MAC) last season.
South Carolina wraps up the homestand by hosting Clemson for the annual rivalry game. South Carolina has won 14-straight over the Tigers, but Clemson is a popular dark-horse pick to make the tournament next season.
On November 15, South Carolina and Southern Cal meet in Los Angeles for the previously announced “Real SC Series.” They will meet again in Greenville in 2026.
The Gamecocks return home for a pair of tuneup games before traveling to Las Vegas for the Players Era Championship. South Carolina hosts Winthrop on November 19. The Gamecocks and Eagles have met 13 times, but not since 2015. In that game, Alaina Coates recorded a triple-double.
Next, South Carolina hosts Queens. The Gamecocks and Royals have met once before, a 103-55 Gamecock win in 1979.
In Las Vegas, South Carolina will play Duke and then either Texas or UCLA. From Las Vegas, South Carolina goes to Louisville for the ACC/SEC Challenge. The Gamecocks and Cardinals have met 22 times, most recently in the 2022 Final Four. South Carolina holds an 18-4 advantage.
South Carolina returns home to play NC Central on December 7. The Gamecocks also hosted the Eagles in 2013 and 2014, winning by 52 and 64 points.
After the weeklong exam break, South Carolina hosts Penn State. Penn State holds a 6-4 all-time record against South Carolina. They played every year from 2006 to 2011, with Penn State winning five of the six games. Penn State went 10-19 (1-17) last season, but added highly touted guard Kiyomi McMiller in the offseason.
The next three games were already announced. South Carolina makes a swing through the Sunshine State, playing at USF on December 18 and at Florida Gulf Coast on December 20. The USF game is a return for last season’s game in Columbia. South Carolina returns home to host Providence to wrap up the pre-SEC portion of the schedule.
South Carolina has one final non-conference game on January 18, playing at Coppin State, a return game from last season. Since 2015, South Carolina had stepped out of conference to play UConn during SEC play, but the contract (which expired after the 2024 game, the 2025 game was a makeup for the 2022 game) was not renewed.
The SEC Tournament is in Greenville. The NCAA Tournament regions are Fort Worth and Sacramento. The Final Four is in Phoenix.
Tipoff times and TV information for most of the games will be announced later
October 30 – vs North Carolina (Exh., Atlanta)
November 3 – Grand Canyon
November 7 – Bowling Green
November 11 – Clemson
November 15 – vs. Southern Cal (The Real SC, Los Angeles)
November 19 – Winthrop
November 23 – Queens
November 26 – vs. Duke (Players Era Championship, Las Vegas) – 4:30 ET
November 27 – vs. UCLA/Texas (Players Era Championship, Las Vegas) – 8:00/10:30 ET
December 4 – at Louisville (ACC/SEC Challenge)
December 7 – NC Central
December 14 – Penn State
December 18 – at USF
December 20 – at Florida Gulf Coast
December 28 – Providence
January 1 – Alabama*
January 4 – at Florida*
January 8 – at Arkansas*
January 11 – Georgia*
January 15 – Texas*
January 18 – at Coppin State
January 22 – at Oklahoma*
January 25 – Vanderbilt*
January 29 – at Auburn*
February 2 – at Texas A&M*
February 5 – Mississippi State*
February 8 – Tennessee*
February 14 – at LSU*
February 19 – at Alabama*
February 22 – Ole Miss*
February 26 – Missouri*
March 1 – at Kentucky*
