Ranking USC women’s basketball’s non-conference schedule from easiest to hardest
Dawn Staley doesn’t shy away from a tough schedule. South Carolina’s loaded 2021-22 non-conference slate is the perfect example.
The Associated Press preseason No. 1 Gamecocks will play every other team in the preseason top five throughout their regular season, including an opening matchup Tuesday with No. 5 N.C. State in Raleigh, North Carolina.
USC brings three of this season’s preseason top-five matchups to Columbia. South Carolina will host No. 2 Connecticut, No. 3 Stanford and No. 4 Maryland in Colonial Life Arena.
“Hopefully, we can keep the schedule competitive and give our FAMs an opportunity to see us play and measure ourselves against the best in the country,” Staley said.
South Carolina returns 100% of its roster from last year’s Final Four team and adds the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class from 2021 with the goal of bringing Staley’s second national championship back to Columbia.
Here’s a breakdown of the Gamecocks’ 2021-22 non-conference slate.
South Carolina women’s basketball schedule breakdown
Below is a ranking of USC’s non-conference schedule from easiest to hardest.
Elon (Nov. 26 at Colonial Life Arena)
Last season, Elon battled through a myriad of COVID-19-related cancellations and finished in the middle of the Colonial Athletic Association with a 7-8 record. The Phoenix should be an easy victory for South Carolina and an opportunity to give its talented class of newcomers early playing time at Colonial Life Arena.
Kansas State (Dec. 3 at Colonial Life Arena)
Kansas State finished 2020-21 ranked next to last in the Big 12, ending the season at 9-18 overall. The Wildcats return 2021 WBCA All-America honorable mention, 6-foot-6 center Ayoka Lee, but South Carolina is likely to come up with a strong win hosting this year’s Big 12-SEC challenge in Columbia.
Clemson (Nov. 17 at Colonial Life Arena)
Clemson returns preseason All-ACC guard Delicia Washington following last year’s campaign that saw the Tigers make it to the second round of the 2020-21 WNIT. But South Carolina’s dominant history against its in-state rival (most recently a 84-48 win at Clemson in 2019) is likely to continue in the early home matchup.
North Carolina A&T (Nov. 29 at Colonial Life Arena)
North Carolina A&T won its final Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference last season before moving to the Big South this year and made it to last year’s NCAA tournament before losing to N.C. State in the first round. The Aggies return Georgia Tech transfer Chanin Scott, who will lead a team that includes 10 newcomers to Columbia early in the season.
Duke (Dec. 15 at Duke)
COVID-19 canceled Duke’s 2020-21 season just four games (3-1) into its first year under head coach Kara Lawson. This season’s Blue Devils were selected to finish eighth out of 15 teams in the ACC as they roll into their first full season with Lawson, who coached the United States 3-on-3 women’s national team to a gold medal in the sport’s Olympic debut last summer.
South Dakota (Nov. 12 in Sioux Falls, S.D.)
South Dakota returns plenty of experience, specifically with Chloe Lamb and Hannah Sjerven, who combined for 33 points in last year’s meeting with South Carolina. The Coyotes lost to USC 81-71 in 2020 but kept it close early, going into halftime tied at 37-37 before South Carolina pulled away in the third quarter.
Maryland (Dec. 12 at Colonial Life Arena)
In South Carolina’s first of three top-five home contests, No. 4 Maryland will bring prolific 3-point shooter Katie Benzan and Mississippi State transfer Chloe Bibby back to its loaded offense. The Terrapins finished atop the Big Ten in 2021 but fell in the Sweet 16 to sixth-seed Texas as a No. 2 seed. South Carolina defeated Maryland 63-54 the last time the two met in 2019.
Bad Boy Mowers Women’s Battle 4 Atlantis — Nov. 20 vs. Buffalo; Nov. 21 vs. Oregon or Oklahoma; Nov. 22 TBD (UConn, Florida, Minnesota, Syracuse) in Paradise Island, Bahamas
South Carolina has the possibility to face two preseason top 10 opponents in November during the Women’s Battle 4 Atlantis. Depending on whether No. 10 Oregon or No. 2 UConn advance, the Gamecocks could potentially play both the Ducks and the Huskies at the inaugural early-season tournament in the Bahamas.
Stanford (Dec. 21 at Colonial Life Arena)
South Carolina will look to avenge last year’s nail-biting Final Four loss against to the eventual 2021 national champions when Stanford comes to Columbia in December. The Cardinal return Final Four MVP Haley Jones, who scored 24 points and the game-winning jumper in their last matchup.
UConn (Jan. 27 at Colonial Life Arena)
Last year’s annual meeting between the Gamecocks and the Huskies went into an overtime thriller that saw preseason All-American Paige Bueckers score the Huskies’ final 13 points in a 63-59 Connecticut victory. This year’s game will be in Columbia, and it could be the second time No. 1 South Carolina meets preseason No. 2 UConn in the regular season.
N.C. State (Nov. 5 at N.C. State)
South Carolina starts the 2021-22 season with fireworks. A road matchup at No. 5 N.C. State gives the Gamecocks an early opportunity to face first team All-American center Elissa Cunane and the reigning ACC champion Wolfpack, which will be looking for a statement win after falling to fourth-seeded Indiana in last year’s Sweet 16 as a No. 1 seed. N.C. State defeated South Carolina 54-46 when the two met last December, and the Gamecocks will look to improve from last year’s season-low field goal percentage (27%) to jump-start the 2021-22 season.
South Carolina 2021-22 women’s basketball schedule
Times and TV listed if available. Home games in bold.
Nov. 1: home vs. Benedict/exhibition, 7 p.m.
Nov. 9: at N.C. State, 5 p.m. (ESPN)
Nov. 12: vs. South Dakota at The Invitational in Sioux Falls, S.D., 7 p.m. (ESPN News)
Nov. 17: home vs. Clemson, 7 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)
Nov. 20: vs. Buffalo at Bad Boy Mowers Women’s Battle 4 Atlantis in Paradise Island, Bahamas, 7:30 p.m. (FloHoops)
Nov. 21: vs. Oregon or Oklahoma at Women’s Battle 4 Atlantis in Paradise Island, Bahamas, TBA (FloHoops)
Nov. 22: TBA at Women’s Battle 4 Atlantis in Paradise Island, Bahamas
Nov. 26: home vs. Elon, 3 p.m.
Nov. 29: home vs. North Carolina A&T, 7 p.m. (SEC Network)
Dec. 3: home vs. Kansas State, 7 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)
Dec. 12: home vs. Maryland, 3 p.m. (ESPN)
Dec. 15: at Duke, 7 p.m. (ACC Network)
Dec. 21: home vs. Stanford, 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
Dec. 30: at Missouri, 7 p.m. (SEC Network)
Jan. 2: home vs. Ole Miss, 1 p.m. (SEC Network or ESPN2)
Jan. 6: at LSU, 8 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)
Jan. 9: home vs. Kentucky, 1 p.m. (ESPN)
Jan. 13: home vs. Texas A&M, 7 p.m. (SEC Network)
Jan. 16: at Arkansas, 3 p.m. (SEC Network or ESPN2)
Jan. 24: home vs. Vanderbilt, 7 p.m. (SEC Network)
Jan. 27: home vs. UConn, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
Jan. 30: at Florida, noon (SEC Network)
Feb. 3: home vs. Alabama, 7 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)
Feb. 6: home vs. Mississippi State, 2 p.m. (ESPN2)
Feb. 10: at Kentucky, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
Feb. 13: at Georgia, noon (ESPN2)
Feb. 17: home vs. Auburn, 7 p.m. (SEC Network)
Feb. 20: home vs. Tennessee, noon (ESPN2)
Feb. 24: at Texas A&M, 8:30 p.m. (SEC Network)
Feb. 27: at Ole Miss, 2 p.m. (SEC Network or ESPN2)
March 2-6: SEC Tournament, Nashville, Tennessee (TBA)
This story was originally published November 6, 2021 at 8:15 AM.
