Alright, let’s get into it—South Carolina vs LSU women’s basketball for 2025-26 is already throwing haymakers and we’re barely out of June. ABC just locked in two monster tip times: Gamecocks-Tennessee in Columbia on Feb. 8, 3 p.m. ET—right in that sweet spot where the sun’s out but the gym’s electric—and then, six days later, it’s South Carolina rolling into Baton Rouge for a Valentine’s Day brawl with LSU at 8:30 p.m. ET. Both on ABC. Both built for chaos. You can practically smell the popcorn and nervous sweat already.
Two massive stages, two totally different vibes
Picture it: Colonial Life Arena, Sunday afternoon, student section losing their minds, Tennessee jogging out and getting booed like they stole something. It’s the old SEC grudge, Gamecocks vs Lady Vols, and the whole country’s watching. Fast-forward to the next Saturday night—now it’s Baton Rouge, LSU’s home, purple and gold everywhere, student section full-on riot mode, and the ABC cameras catching every mean mug and side-eye. That’s the schedule drop, confirmed, so mark your calendars or whatever people do these days.
The real soap opera: Fulwiley’s revenge tour
Here’s where it gets juicy: Feb. 14 isn’t just a regular-season game. It’s MiLaysia Fulwiley’s first crack at her old squad since she bounced from South Carolina to LSU in April. The girl’s a walking highlight, straight-up turbocharger in sneakers, and she’s itching to torch her old team. You just know that Baton Rouge crowd is gonna be absolutely unhinged. Fulwiley, Mulkey, Staley—it’s like someone scripted this for Netflix.
Dawn Staley doesn’t lose these… usually
Last year? South Carolina handled business against both these teams. Didn’t see either of ‘em in the SEC tourney, but whatever—Gamecocks still won the head-to-heads: beat Tennessee 70–63 on the road, then took down LSU at home 66–56. Yeah, rosters change, but that Staley defense and her weirdly perfect endgame mojo? Those don’t just disappear.
What’s at stake with these ABC slots
- The recruiting TV flex. Prime time on ABC is like putting your program on a Times Square billboard for every five-star and transfer portal lurker.
- SEC heat check. Tennessee brings size, LSU’s got star power, and South Carolina’s new rotation will either sink or swim—February is when teams start looking tired and scouting reports get nasty.
- Tiebreakers, baby. With everyone playing single round-robins, these games could straight-up decide who wins the SEC or who gets a cushy tourney seed.
Rest of the schedule? It’s loading…
They still haven’t dropped the time for the season opener vs Grand Canyon (shoutout Winston Gandy, Gamecock alum now running that show), but the non-conference slate is already a gauntlet. There’s “The Real SC” against USC in L.A. (Nov. 15, 9 p.m. ET—late night, but whatever, it’s L.A.), then Vegas for the Players Era Championship with Duke, Texas/UCLA, and later Louisville for the ACC/SEC Challenge. December’s basically Florida tourism: USF, FGCU, then back home for Coppin State. TV times are still being sorted—just keep hitting refresh on the schedule page if you’re that person.
Why Valentine’s in Baton Rouge is gonna feel like March Madness
By Feb. 14? Rotations are set, coaches know each other’s dog’s name, and Kim Mulkey’s got LSU breathing fire. Fulwiley’s debut against her old team in those colors? Emotional whiplash. Expect LSU to crank up the ball pressure, South Carolina to slow it down then hit the gas, and the first highlight dunk or corner 3 to blow the roof off the PMAC.
Stuff to actually watch for
- Fulwiley vs. South Carolina’s trees. Do the Tigers just clear space and let her cook ISO, or get creative with screens and try to shake the Gamecocks into weird mismatches?
- Glass wars: Tennessee’s boards vs. South Carolina’s shot-blockers. That afternoon tip in Columbia could be a bench game—foul trouble flips the script fast.
- Second quarter depth check. Staley loves to win those “middle eight” minutes. If South Carolina’s bench hits a mini-run before halftime, goodnight.
Quick hits & links
- Nov. 15: “The Real SC” (USC vs. South Carolina), 9 p.m. ET. Crypto.com Arena, L.A.—get your tickets, bring your sunglasses.
- Nov. 26–27: Players Era Championship in Vegas. Opens with Duke (4:30 ET), then Texas or UCLA. Still waiting on TV info, but you know it’ll be a show.
And yeah, the rest of the schedule’s coming, but those are the headliners. February’s already feeling spicy. If you’re a hoops fan and not circling these games, man, what is you doing?
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