The South Carolina Gamecock’s women’s basketball team is busy finalizing their 2026-27 schedule. With the season set to begin in November, South Carolina has added two more games to its regular-season schedule, as Coach Dawn Staley and the Gamecocks will host a home tournament with two HBCU schools.
South Carolina announced the tournament, which is sponsored by Rae Rose Media for the PowerHer Tournament, featuring NC Central Alabama A&M and Tennessee State, this week. The Gamecocks will host the tournament on Thanksgiving weekend, beginning on Nov. 26th and going through the 29th.
In addition to the games themselves, the tournament will also include non-basketball events, such as sponsorship activation events, a holiday-based community event, as well as networking opportunities with an NIL marketplace event.
The first round of games will tip off on Saturday, November 28, with NC Central vs. Alabama A&M starting things off, followed by Tennessee State and South Carolina. On Sunday, whichever teams win the first two games will play each other, in addition to a game of the first-round losers to determine third place.
“To me, basketball has always been a vehicle for access and opportunities, and our game has grown to where those go well beyond just what happens on the court,” Coach Staley said in a statement via the school’s official release. “I am passionate about making sure no young women who pour into our game get left behind in those expanding prospects, regardless of where they play. That was the inspiration for this event, and I’m so proud to work with Rae Rose Media to bring it to life this season.”
Specific game tip off times for each game will be announced at a later date, in addition to broadcast information. Per the school, tickets to the tournament are included in South Carolina women’s basketball season ticket package. Fans can also purchase single-session tickets to games in the near future, as well.
NC State’s women’s team is coached by former Gamecock player Olivia Gaines, who is in her first season. Tennessee State head coach Candice Dupree also played for Coach Staley while she was at Temple.
With the addition of the new tournament, November is shaping up to be a busy month for the Gamecocks. South Carolina will play Maryland on November 2 in Paris, as well as in-state rival Clemson on Nov. 12. The Gamecocks will also play North Carolina on Nov. 8, USC in Greenville on Nov. 15, and UConn on Nov. 24 at Mohegan Sun Arena.
