The South Carolina Women's Basketball team enters December no longer undefeated but still carrying the kind of momentum that has made them a powerhouse over the last several years. Last week, South Carolina dropped a heartbreaker to Texas on a last-second shot in the Players Era Championship. The previous day they had a solid victory over Duke in the opening round. The setback leaves the Gamecocks at 7-1 overall. Now they will focus on the upcoming ranked road match and the December schedule. Meanwhile, the Associated Press released its latest Top 25 on Monday, and South Carolina slid one spot to No. 3.
For the first time this season, Dawn Staley's squad did not receive a first-place vote, trailing UConn, which holds the top spot with 22 first-place votes, and the Texas Longhorns, who earned 10 first-place votes. The Gamecocks' drop in the rankings reflect the growing depth and cometeitiveness at the top of women's college basketball this season.
While the national spotlight has temporarily shifted, South Carolina remains a dominant force, never having fallen below the No. 7 ranking in the AP Poll since the 2019-2020 season.
South Carolina's schedule is stacked with ranked opponents, including Southern Cal, Texas, games they have already played. Now they will face Louisville (No. 22), Oklahoma (No. 9), Vanderbilt (No. 15), Tennessee (No. 19), LSU (No. 5), Ole Miss (No. 13), and Kentucky (No. 17). It is a tough slate of games, but one that the Gamecocks are built to thrive under.
This week kicks off with a road trip to the ACC/SEC Challenge. On Thursday, December 4, South Carolina will face the Louisville Cardinals at 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN. The Gamecocks have history on their side, having won the only two previous matchups, including a memorable 2021-2022 National Semifinal route to a second national championship.
After the Challenge, the Gamecocks host North Carolina Central on Sunday, December 7, at noon at Colonial Life Arena. The teams have not faced off in over a decade, but South Carolina maintains a perfect 2-0 record in the series.
As the calendar flips to December, the Gamecocks are ready to respond, sharpen their focus, and keep building toward another deep postseason run. With top-tier competition around every corner, every game matters.