UConn and South Carolina Face Off in High-Stakes November Clash

Preseason No. 1 South Carolina will host second-ranked UConn at Mohegan Sun on Nov. 24, two days before Thanksgiving.

The teams last met in the Final Four, a game defined by a verbal exchange between coaches Geno Auriemma and Dawn Staley in the handshake line. Although the two coaches have since appeared to resolve their differences, the rematch will draw intense scrutiny to the postgame greetings.

A doubleheader in Paris will feature four ranked teams, marking the fourth consecutive year a women's game has been held in the city. This event follows a men's and women's doubleheader in Rome where Villanova and No. 13 Notre Dame will open their seasons.

JuJu Watkins will make her return to the national stage when Southern California travels to Greenville, South Carolina, to face the Gamecocks. Watkins won the AP Player of the Year award as a sophomore before suffering an ACL tear in the NCAA Tournament that kept her out for the entirety of the previous season.

Duke and UConn will meet in Boston after the holiday, with Duke coach Kara Lawson having spent a season as an assistant with the NBA's Celtics before joining the Blue Devils. UConn holds an 11-game winning streak against Duke, with the teams last meeting during the 2023-24 season.

The ACC/SEC Challenge will pit Hannah Hidalgo and Notre Dame against Mikayla Blakes and Tennessee in a Sweet 16 rematch. Hidalgo recorded 31 points, 11 rebounds, 10 steals, and seven assists in Notre Dame's 67-64 victory last year.

The second annual Players Era tournament in Las Vegas will conclude the early slate, featuring a national championship rematch between UCLA and South Carolina on the first night. Duke will face Texas, while Notre Dame and USC will meet in a matchup pitting Watkins against Hidalgo. The second night includes a Final Four rematch between Texas and UCLA, along with games between Notre Dame and South Carolina and Duke and USC.