USC MBB’s non-conference schedule is out. Here are five key matchups to circle
Non-conference schedules are an art. It’s tricky to balance a competitive schedule that isn’t overly grueling and create the perfect ramp-up to conference play. This is especially the case for South Carolina or any team that plays in the Southeastern Conference, which saw 14 of its 16 schools in the NCAA Tournament last season.
Gamecocks head coach Lamont Paris is hoping his team’s 2025-26 non-conference schedule, released Tuesday, will better prepare USC’s 11 newcomers for SEC play. Last year, the Gamecocks went 10-4 in their non-conference slate before going 2-16 in league play and joining LSU as the only SEC teams to miss March Madness.
“Self-reflection and evaluation of what you’ve done is so important in this profession, whether you’ve won 26 games or 12 games,” Paris said. “It was more challenging this year than any year I’ve ever been around ... you had a year in this conference that was unlike any year of college basketball ever.”
Paris is certainly doing what he can to give his team an advantage in the early season. The Gamecocks are scheduled to play 10 of their 13 non-conference games at home. Here are the five key matchups to look out for:
Nov. 4 vs. North Carolina A&T
Season-opener buy games are a sensitive subject. Last year, the Gamecocks paid North Florida $95,000 to begin their season with a 74-71 loss. It didn’t end up mattering much last year, but losses like that can put a tournament hopeful on the wrong side of the bubble come Selection Sunday. Despite the loss, Paris set up a similar opponent for this year’s opener.
N.C. A&T ranks the third-lowest (336th) among USC’s 2025-26 opponents in the 2024-25 Pomeroy NET rankings, ahead of The Citadel and Stetson. It’s hard to envision the Gamecocks dropping a buy game to open the season two years in a row, but doing so would certainly be a bad omen.
Nov. 21 vs. Butler (Greenbrier Tip-off Classic)
Butler is USC’s first opponent of the year in the top-100 from last year’s NET rankings, and just one of three top-100 teams in the Gamecocks’ non-conference schedule. The Bulldogs went 15-20 and 6-14 in the Big East and missed out on the NCAA Tournament. Butler lost 11 players this offseason and, like South Carolina, is looking to bounce back with a roster full of new faces. The matchup will be a good test for both teams for how effective their offseason rebuilds actually were.
Nov. 23 vs. Northwestern (Greenbrier Tip-off classic)
If one top-100 NET opponent in the Thanksgiving break slate wasn’t enough, try back-to-back top-100 foes. Northwestern was 44th in the NET last season with a 17-16 record and missed March Madness. Head coach Chris Collins brought in a top-30 composite recruiting class this offseason in hopes of earning the program’s fourth NCAA Tournament bid in history. Both teams are vying for a return to form in 2025-26 and will serve as obstacles for the other.
Dec. 2 vs. Virginia Tech
USC is doubling up on matchups against the Hokies this year. Gamecock football will take on Virginia Tech in the Aflac Kickoff Game this Sunday in Atlanta. A few months later, the men’s basketball team will host the Hokies in Colonial Life Arena as part of the ACC-SEC challenge.
In the third iteration of the inter-conference slate, South Carolina takes on a Hokies squad that missed the tournament in 2025 with am 8-12 conference record. It was a down year for the ACC that saw only four tournament bids for the conference. If the ACC at large can turn things around and improve the strength-of-schedule metrics for Virginia Tech, a win could do big things for the Gamecocks regardless of how the Hokies actually shape up as an opponent.
Dec. 16 at Clemson
The only thing better than a rivalry game is a rivalry game with high stakes, and that’s what this year’s Palmetto Series matchup should be. The Gamecocks play thair last road non-conference game against a Tigers squad that had its best regular season ever last year and made the tournament. Clemson finished third in the ACC, were ranked No. 22 in the country and come in as USC’s highest-ranked opponent in the 2024-25 NET at 23rd.
If Clemson is anything close to the team from last year, this will be the toughest test the Gamecocks face before SEC play. A win against the Tigers, however, could be a huge resume booster for USC.
Fans can get their first look at this year’s men’s basketball team Oct. 26 in Greensboro in an exhibition game against N.C. State.
