Auriemma and Staley Return to Center Court for Nov. 24 Rematch

South Carolina and UConn will meet on Nov. 24 at Mohegan Sun, a nonconference fixture that places the preseason No. 1 and No. 2 teams in direct competition two days before Thanksgiving. The matchup serves as the centerpiece of an early season schedule that avoids the traditional wait for March Madness by featuring multiple rematches from the previous postseason.

The rivalry gained extra tension last season when the teams met in the Final Four. That contest is remembered for a volatile moment in the handshake line where UConn coach Geno Auriemma yelled at South Carolina coach Dawn Staley. Although the two coaches have publicly reconciled since that incident, the upcoming game will likely draw intense scrutiny to their interactions before and after the final buzzer.

The early slate extends beyond the coast. A women's game is scheduled for Paris, marking the fourth consecutive year the city has hosted such an event and the second time South Carolina has participated. This international fixture will occur shortly after Villanova and No. 13 Notre Dame open their seasons in a doubleheader in Rome.

JuJu Watkins is set to rejoin the national conversation 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 tearing her ACL in the NCAA Tournament. She missed the entire 2025-26 season while recovering and is described by her program as raring to go.

Following Thanksgiving, Duke will face UConn in Boston. Duke coach Kara Lawson spent a season as an assistant with the NBA's Celtics before accepting the Blue Devils head coaching position. The rivalry statistics are lopsided, with UConn winning the last 11 meetings between the schools, though they have not played since the 2023-24 season.

The ACC/SEC Challenge will feature a rematch of last season's Sweet 16 game between Notre Dame and Tennessee. Hannah Hidalgo and the Fighting Irish will visit Mikayla Blakes and the Commodores. Notre Dame won that previous contest 67-64, a game in which Hidalgo recorded 31 points, 11 rebounds, 10 steals and seven assists.

The season's early climax arrives in Las Vegas for the second annual Players Era tournament. The first night includes a national championship rematch between UCLA and South Carolina, as well as Duke against Texas and Notre Dame against USC. The latter matchup will pit Watkins against Hidalgo, two of the country's top players. The second night features a Final Four rematch between Texas and UCLA, alongside games involving Notre Dame, South Carolina, Duke and USC.