Report: Gamecocks’ women’s basketball series with Connecticut won’t continue this year
The highly anticipated women’s basketball series between South Carolina and UConn will not take place this season, according to multiple reports. The matchup, which has become one of the sport’s premier non-conference showdowns in recent years, is reportedly off the schedule for the 2025–26 campaign.
South Carolina and UConn have faced off annually since 2020, with both programs consistently ranked in the top five and drawing national attention every time they met. But sources close to both programs indicate that scheduling conflicts and shifting priorities have paused the series — at least for now.
While there’s no official word on when or if the rivalry will resume, the decision marks a noticeable break in what had become a must-watch fixture for women’s college basketball fans. Both programs are still expected to compete in other high-profile games, but this specific clash of titans will be absent from this year’s slate.
For the better part of the last decade, few rivalries in women’s college basketball have matched the national impact, talent, and drama of South Carolina vs. UConn. What began as a competitive non-conference series evolved into a marquee annual event—one that fans, networks, and players eagerly anticipated. But for the upcoming 2025–26 season, the Gamecocks and Huskies will not meet. The streak of annual showdowns between Dawn Staley’s powerhouse South Carolina program and Geno Auriemma’s iconic Connecticut squad has come to a halt, at least temporarily.
According to multiple sources close to both programs, the two schools were unable to finalize terms for a matchup this season. It is the first time since 2019 that South Carolina and UConn won’t be featured on each other’s schedule. While there’s no suggestion of any fallout or tension between the programs, the decision has still caught many by surprise. For two of the sport’s biggest brands to take a break from one of the most high-profile games of the year is a significant shift—not only in scheduling, but in how women’s basketball continues to evolve.
The news lands with disappointment for fans who have watched the series grow into one of the most consistent showcases of elite-level play. Each matchup brought national TV attention, jam-packed arenas, and heavy NCAA Tournament implications. Whether in Columbia or Storrs, the matchup was a measuring stick for both programs—and a glimpse into what March or even April could look like. The games routinely featured future WNBA stars, Top 5 recruits, and Hall of Fame coaches battling in chess matches with legacy-level consequences.
For South Carolina, the annual date with UConn became more than just a test of their dominance—it was symbolic of their rise. When Dawn Staley took over the Gamecocks program in 2008, UConn was the standard. Through consistent recruiting, player development, and a culture rooted in toughness and self-belief, South Carolina transformed itself into that same kind of measuring stick. The results speak volumes. South Carolina has won three national championships since 2017, including an undefeated run in 2023–24. Along the way, they beat UConn multiple times, including in the 2022 national championship game and in several regular-season thrillers.
For Connecticut, the matchup against South Carolina often represented an opportunity to reassert their dominance—or defend their legacy. Geno Auriemma has guided UConn to 11 national titles, and for years, the Huskies operated with little resistance. That began to shift when South Carolina emerged as a true peer. The balance of power in women’s basketball has tilted, and while UConn remains elite, it’s no longer alone at the top. Facing the Gamecocks each year kept them battle-tested and exposed younger players to the physicality and pace of championship-level basketball.
But now, without the rivalry game on the docket, both teams must look elsewhere for that high-profile experience. The Gamecocks have retooled their non-conference schedule to include a number of quality opponents. The program’s brand is strong enough to draw marquee games anywhere in the country, and Dawn Staley continues to challenge her team with a competitive slate before SEC play begins. South Carolina is also in the midst of transition, with several stars having departed for the WNBA, and a new wave of talent stepping into leading roles. Still, expectations remain the same: win the SEC, dominate the national landscape, and compete for a national title.
UConn, meanwhile, faces its own questions. After dealing with injuries to key players in recent seasons, the Huskies are seeking stability and renewed depth. Paige Bueckers’ return to full health provides an enormous boost, and a new crop of highly touted freshmen brings fresh optimism to the roster. Still, without South Carolina on the schedule, the early-season spotlight may shine elsewhere. While they have tough games ahead, there’s something about facing South Carolina—both stylistically and symbolically—that helped define a season.
It’s unclear if this is just a one-year pause or a more prolonged break. Both coaches have expressed mutual respect and admiration in the past, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see the rivalry resume in future seasons. But for now, the absence of this series marks a significant change in the women’s basketball calendar. In the age of increased exposure and skyrocketing NIL deals, marquee games like South Carolina-UConn carry added value—not just for the programs, but for television partners, brands, and the sport at large.
What makes the decision even more noteworthy is the trajectory of women’s college basketball itself. The sport is more popular than ever. Television ratings are breaking records. Attendance is surging. Players like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, JuJu Watkins, and others have captured the national imagination. In this context, fans are hungry for top-tier matchups. They want big names and big games. South Carolina vs. UConn always delivered. Its absence this season will be felt not just by diehard fans, but by the casual viewer who has come to recognize that some games are simply unmissable.
In a recent interview, Dawn Staley spoke broadly about the importance of playing the best and testing her team against elite competition. “We want our schedule to reflect who we are,” she said. “If we say we’re one of the best programs in the country, we have to play like it—and that means scheduling like it.” While she did not directly address the UConn series being paused, her comments suggest a willingness to continue playing challenging opponents. The Gamecocks, after all, don’t back down from anyone.
Geno Auriemma has expressed similar sentiments over the years. A traditionalist in some ways, Auriemma has long believed in the value of tough non-conference play to prepare for March. “Games like South Carolina don’t just make you better,” he once said. “They show you who you are.” The fact that this game won’t happen this season doesn’t mean those principles are gone. But it does raise questions about how schedules are shaped in today’s environment—and how external factors like NIL, TV contracts, travel demands, and even the NCAA’s evolving postseason structure might influence what games are possible.
There’s also the human factor to consider. The players themselves relish the opportunity to face the best. For recruits, these games are selling points. For returners, they are resume-builders. For WNBA scouts, they’re critical data points. And for fans—especially young ones—they represent the pinnacle of what the sport can be: fast, fierce, skilled, and deeply competitive. South Carolina and UConn both understand this. That’s why the annual meeting between them carried so much weight.
When the two teams last met, it was a game that lived up to the billing. Physical, emotional, and filled with highlight moments, it was everything fans had come to expect from this series. South Carolina’s size and depth overwhelmed UConn in the second half, but the Huskies showed resilience and flashes of brilliance. It wasn’t just a game. It was a glimpse into the future of the sport—of where it’s going and how it continues to grow. Losing that for a year isn’t just a scheduling note—it’s a missed moment of momentum.
Still, the story isn’t over. College basketball is dynamic, and things change quickly. What seems like a long pause today could be a brief break by next fall. There is mutual interest and, more importantly, mutual benefit in keeping this rivalry alive. Not every series in college sports has staying power. But South Carolina vs. UConn has become part of the women’s basketball identity. The intensity, the strategy, the noise—it’s part of what makes the sport compelling. One year off doesn’t erase that history. But it does place more weight on when and how the next chapter begins.
Until then, both programs will march forward. They have titles to chase, players to develop, and new rivalries to build. But the absence of their annual clash will be noticed. It will linger as the season unfolds, especially in those early weeks when non-conference games dominate the headlines. Somewhere along the way, a new spotlight game may emerge. A new rivalry may ignite. That’s the beauty of the sport—it’s always growing, always evolving.
But there’s only one South Carolina vs. UConn. And for now, we’ll have to wait.
