South Carolina women's basketball will open next season in Las Vegas
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South Carolina will open its national title defense with a game in Las Vegas. The opponent is to be determined.
Last season South Carolina opened the season in Paris against Notre Dame. That game, a 100-71 win, turned out to be the catalyst for South Carolina’s undefeated championship season.
Now the Gamecocks will trade the City of Lights for Sin City this fall. Dawn Staley made the announcement in an interview on 107.5 The Game on Wednesday.
Staley said that an opponent had been lined up but backed out. Another opponent will be lined up.
“We’ll open the season in Vegas playing an opponent that is fluctuating because the opponent we were supposed to play us is not going to play us anymore,” Staley said. “We’ll play in Vegas. I’ll give our listeners that much. Hopefully, we’ll get a big plane and take some fans and some donors and make it a great trip for everybody. Hopefully you’ll be responsible and not gamble away your funds.”
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Last season, Las Vegas hosted the Hall of Fame Series at T-Mobile Arena. The men’s and women’s quadruple-header featured Ohio State and Southern Cal women and Oregon and Georgia men in an early session and LSU and Colorado women and Southern Cal and Kansas State men in a late session.
Staley did not confirm this game is part of the Hall of Fame Series, but last season South Carolina played Utah in Uncasville, CT in another Hall of Fame event.
South Carolina has ties to Las Vegas. Gamecock great A’ja Wilson plays for the Las Vegas Aces, and Brea Beal is on the training camp roster. The Aces play most games at Michelob Ultra Arena with a handful at T-Mobile Arena. T-Mobile Arena is primarily the home of the Las Vegas Golden Knights NHL team.
South Carolina’s 2024-25 schedule includes SEC opponents like LSU, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Texas, and Oklahoma. The non-conference schedule includes UConn and UCLA, plus an ACC opponent to be announced as part of the ACC/SEC challenge.
