South Carolina women's basketball adds three Ally Tipoff games to future schedules

On Thursday, the Charlotte Sports Foundation and the University of South Carolina announced that Dawn Staley’s Gamecocks are adding three games in the Queen City to future schedules. According to the announcement, USC will take part in the next three seasons’ Ally Tipoffs. All three games will be played at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte.

In the 2026-2027 season, South Carolina will face the North Carolina Tar Heels. Then, in the 2027-2028 campaign, the Gamecocks will meet up with the UConn Huskies. Early in the 2028-2029 campaign, USC will play the NC State Wolfpack.

The 2026-2027 game against UNC is the third confirmed out-of-conference game on the schedule. South Carolina will also play Maryland on November 2nd in Paris as part of the Oui Play tipoff event and UConn on November 24th in the Hall of Fame Women’s Showcase.

NEW! Message board for South Carolina Women’s Basketball!

Per a USC release, South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley said, “We couldn’t be more excited to sign on to playing in the Ally Tipoff for the next three seasons. The Charlotte Sports Foundation and Ally know how to create great matchups and then roll out the red carpet for teams, and Charlotte is a tremendous basketball city that will welcome fans from every program and create an amazing atmosphere to play.” Staley spent six seasons with the WNBA’s Charlotte Sting during her playing career. She also led the Gamecocks in the 2024-2025 Ally Tipoff in Charlotte, and South Carolina had a great experience.

The three announced Ally Tipoff opponents have been common out-of-conference foes for the Gamecocks.

South Carolina and North Carolina played in a preseason exhibition this fall (the Gamecocks won, 91-82). USC has also won the border battle four times in a row (five if one counts the exhibition). Most recently in a game that counts, Dawn Staley’s team smacked the Tar Heels in the 2023-2024 NCAA Tournament.

The 2025-2026 season will be the first in over a decade without a regular-season matchup between South Carolina and UConn. The Gamecocks and Huskies will renew the non-con rivalry next season, the year before the teams meet up in the Ally Tipoff. UConn won both games last season, including the NCAA Tournament National Final. The Gamecocks had won four in a row in the series (including the 2021-2022 national title game) prior to that.

South Carolina took part in the 2024-2025 Ally Tipoff, defeating NC State, 71-57. It is the most recent of three straight wins for the Gamecocks over the Wolfpack. USC also beat NC State in the Final Four two years ago, en route to their undefeated national championship 2023-2024 season.

NEW! Message board for South Carolina Women’s Basketball!