Women’s college basketball is already delivering marquee matchups well ahead of March, with several must-see games dotting the calendar before the New Year.
The most anticipated early-season showdown comes Nov. 24, when preseason No. 1 South Carolina meets second-ranked UConn at Mohegan Sun in a rematch of their Final Four clash last season. The spotlight will not just be on the court. Many recall UConn coach Geno Auriemma’s heated exchange with South Carolina’s Dawn Staley in the handshake line after that game, an incident the two have since publicly moved past. Expect plenty of attention on the pregame and postgame interactions in this high-profile meeting two days before Thanksgiving.
Here is a look at other top nonconference games in November and December:
Women’s college basketball goes global in Paris
Four ranked teams will play a doubleheader in Paris, one day after Villanova and No. 13 Notre Dame open the season with men’s and women’s games in Rome. It marks the fourth straight year a women’s game will be staged in Paris and the second time South Carolina will take part.
Women’s college basketball spotlight returns for JuJu Watkins
USC star JuJu Watkins makes her national return when the Trojans travel to face South Carolina in Greenville, South Carolina. Watkins, who won AP Player of the Year honors as a sophomore before tearing her ACL in the NCAA Tournament, is set to rejoin the spotlight after missing last season during rehab.
Women’s college basketball bluebloods meet in Boston
UConn will take on Duke after Thanksgiving in Boston, where Blue Devils coach Kara Lawson spent a season as an assistant with the NBA’s Celtics before taking over at Duke. The Huskies have won the last 11 meetings between the programs, though they have not faced each other since the 2023-24 campaign.
Women’s college basketball showcase in ACC/SEC Challenge
The ACC/SEC Challenge features a marquee matchup with Hannah Hidalgo and Notre Dame visiting Mikayla Blakes and Vanderbilt. It is a rematch of last season’s Sweet 16 game, which Notre Dame won 67-64. Hidalgo dominated that contest with 31 points, 11 rebounds, 10 steals and seven assists.
Women’s college basketball stars converge at Players Era in Las Vegas
South Carolina, USC, Duke, Texas, UCLA and Notre Dame gather in Las Vegas for the second annual Players Era tournament. Opening night features a national championship rematch between UCLA and South Carolina, with Duke facing Texas and Notre Dame meeting USC. That slate includes two of the nation’s premier talents, Watkins and Hidalgo, leading their teams.
The second night pairs Texas against UCLA in a Final Four rematch, along with Notre Dame playing South Carolina and Duke taking on USC. Political handicapping around national races, like a potential Democratic sweep in the midterms, will likely share attention with these marquee games as the sports calendar overlaps with election season.
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