Alright, picture this: it’s the first practice for South Carolina women’s basketball, 2025-26 season, and you can practically feel the energy buzzing in Colonial Life Arena. Sneakers squeak, balls thud, and there’s Dawn Staley in the middle of it all—laser-focused, throwing off that “don’t-mess-with-me” vibe as she chats with the media about, you guessed it, the South Carolina women’s basketball non-conference schedule for 2025.
Let’s be real, this year’s schedule? Not exactly the same old song and dance. Sure, there are still some big-name clashes—nobody’s shying away from a fight—but there’s a new flavor here. More games propping up smaller programs, a clear tilt toward giving HBCUs their flowers, and honestly, a vibe that says, “We’re not just here to pad the resume.”
Scheduling headaches: “Nobody wants to play us”
If you caught Staley’s comments after the NCAA snub last March, you probably expected her to go scorched earth on the scheduling front. Folks were bracing for some wild, experimental lineup. But when the 2025-26 non-conference schedule hit? Eh, softened around the edges, but not a total makeover.
“It wasn’t what I said. Scheduling is hard,” Staley shot back after practice. “People don’t want to play us. Even having lost what we lost, it’s really, really a hard thing.”
Can you blame her? When you’re the gold standard, nobody’s lining up for a beatdown. It’s like being the final boss in a video game—sure, you’re legendary, but nobody wants to risk their high score.
So, who’s on the hit list?
Glance at the lineup and you’ll see plenty of solid programs: Grand Canyon, Bowling Green, Clemson, Southern Cal, Winthrop, Queens, Duke, Louisville, Penn State, South Florida, FGCU, Providence, Coppin State. Seven of these squads danced in last year’s NCAA tourney. That’s one more than last season, if you’re counting.
But, plot twist—no UConn on the schedule. First time in forever. That rivalry’s been a staple, but not this year. Wild.
High-majors vs. mid-majors: The scales tip
Look close and there’s a subtle shuffle going on. For the first time since the 2022-23 season, South Carolina’s non-conference schedule actually features more mid-majors than high-majors—seven vs. eight. Here’s the breakdown:
- 2022-23: 5 high-majors, 8 mid-majors
- 2023-24: 7 high-majors, 6 mid-majors
- 2024-25: 9 high-majors, 5 mid-majors
It’s a balancing act—keep the NCAA brass happy with enough big games, but also throw a bone to the programs grinding in the shadows.
HBCUs in the spotlight
This part? Genuinely cool. Staley went out of her way to add two HBCUs—Coppin State and North Carolina Central—to the schedule.
“Instead of the big competitive games, we’ve added some HBCUs, just to lift up every aspect of our sport,” she said.
And get this: South Carolina is actually going to Baltimore to play at Coppin State. That’s almost unheard of. Power teams don’t do true road games at HBCUs, period. You don’t see Geno Auriemma agreeing to that, I’ll tell you that much.
“Not every team will go and play an HBCU on their home court,” she said. “We feel like it’s a great game, great competition, great coaching. And if we can bring some notoriety to HBCUs, then we’ll do that.”
The 2025-26 South Carolina non-conference schedule
Here’s the rundown, so you don’t have to hunt for it:
- Oct. 24 – Exhibition vs. Anderson
- Oct. 30 – Exhibition vs. North Carolina (Atlanta, State Farm Arena)
- Nov. 3 – vs. Grand Canyon
- Nov. 7 – vs. Bowling Green
- Nov. 11 – vs. Clemson
- Nov. 15 – vs. Southern California (LA, Crypto Arena)
- Nov. 19 – vs. Winthrop
- Nov. 23 – vs. Queens
- Nov. 26 – vs. Duke (Las Vegas, Players Era Championship)
- Nov. 27 – vs. UCLA or Texas (Las Vegas)
- Dec. 4 – at Louisville (ACC-SEC Challenge)
- Dec. 7 – vs. NC Central
- Dec. 14 – vs. Penn State
- Dec. 18 – at South Florida
- Dec. 20 – at Florida Gulf Coast
- Dec. 28 – vs. Providence
- Jan. 18 – at Coppin State
After that, it’s SEC time—LSU, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, all the heavy hitters.
So, what’s it all mean?
Here’s the thing about Staley: she’s not just chasing another tournament seed. She’s using South Carolina’s clout to shine a light on teams that never get a shot at the big stage. An away game at Coppin State? That’s about more than basketball. That’s about changing the game, literally.
Sure, some fans might grumble and say the schedule’s too soft without UConn. But honestly, if you can’t see the bigger picture, you’re missing the point. There’s still plenty of heat—marquee matchups, regional feuds, and games that just plain matter, even if ESPN isn’t blasting highlights 24/7.
Staley’s playing chess, not checkers. And she’s making sure everybody gets a seat at the table.
About the Author
