Why Dawn Staley, South Carolina will play three games in Las Vegas in 2025
South Carolina will play three games in the Players Era Women’s Championship in Las Vegas during Thanksgiving Week of the 2025-26 season.
The Gamecocks are one of four teams selected for the inaugural women’s event alongside UCLA, Duke and Texas, as announced Monday. This tournament will be part of new multi-team event that includes both men’s and women’s championships.
“We’re excited to be among the first women’s teams invited to play in the Players Era Women’s Championship,” USC head coach Dawn Staley said in a news release. “This innovative event brings together everything we’re looking for — quality games early in the season, a great location for fans to come and enjoy, and NIL opportunities for our players.”
The event spans three days and follows a round-robin format, where each team will play three games. The overall champion is determined by head-to-head record, with tiebreakers such as point differential, points scored and points allowed if necessary.
Players Era, according to Monday’s press release, is a “groundbreaking college basketball initiative aimed at captivating fans and providing college athletes with opportunities to engage in unique name, image and likeness (NIL) activities.”
The event offers players opportunities to participate in NIL activities valued at $1 million per team, making it as much about off-court engagement as competition.
The Gamecocks — ranked No. 2 in the latest Associated Press Top 25 — play all three teams from the Players Era tournament during the 2024-25 season.
South Carolina suffered its first loss of the season to No. 1 UCLA on Nov. 24, ending a 43-game winning streak. It defeated then-No. 8 Duke at home on Dec. 5. USC will host No. 6 Texas on Jan. 12 and play the Longhorns again in Austin on Feb. 9.
Staley’s program opened 2024 with a win in Las Vegas over Michigan in a Naismith Hall of Fame Series game.
The Players Era Women’s Championship is the second initiative of its kind for Players Era, following the launch of the men’s event in 2024.
Oregon won this year’s men’s championship. Alabama, Texas A&M, Houston and Creighton also participated in the tournament.
