The 2026-27 women’s college basketball season begins in less than three months and schedules are beginning to trickle out from the sport’s top contenders.
One of the most talked about teams this offseason has been Oklahoma State after the Cowgirls cleaned up in the transfer portal by landing the nation’s second-leading scorer in Audi Crooks, All-SEC guard Liv McGill and 3-point sharpshooter Ellie Brueggemann. Paired with All-Big 12 returner Stailee Heard, Jacie Hoyt’s team looks like a team that could play for its conference championship.
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And in non-conference play, the Cowgirls are going to test themselves.
On Dec. 6, Oklahoma State will play at South Carolina, creating what will be a must-watch matchup between two incredibly talented rosters.
Oklahoma State announced the game on Friday morning when it published its non-conference schedule for the upcoming season. The contest will mark the first-ever meeting between the Cowgirls and the Gamecocks.
Dawn Staley’s team will play a return game at a neutral site in Oklahoma in the 2027-28 season, according to a release from Oklahoma State.
South Carolina is once again expected to be a major player in the race for the national championship. Winners of three national titles since 2017, the Gamecocks have played in six consecutive Final Fours and have finished as national runner-ups in each of the past two seasons — losing to UConn in 2025 and UCLA this past April.
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The Gamecocks return All-American forward Joyce Edwards, former SEC Tournament MVP Chloe Kitts, All-SEC guard Tessa Johnson, All-SEC forward Ashlyn Watkins, 6-foot-7 center Alicia Tournebize and athletic wing Agot Makeer. South Carolina also brought in Texas transfer Jordan Lee and a pair of five-star recruits in Jerzy Robinson and Oliviyah Edwards. Last month, guard Maddy McDaniel announced she was stepping away from the program to focus on her “mental and emotional well-being.”
Staley’s team has yet to release its full non-conference schedule, but some dates have been confirmed. They’ll face Maryland in Paris, France on Nov. 2, North Carolina at the Ally Tip-Off in Charlotte on Nov. 8, USC in Greenville on Nov. 15, UConn on Nov. 24 at Mohegan Sun Arena, and at Duke on Dec. 3 in the ACC-SEC Challenge.
Other noteworthy matchups on Oklahoma State’s schedule include a game at South Dakota State on Nov. 15 and a matchup with Bedlam rival Oklahoma in Oklahoma City on Dec. 12. The Cowgirls will also play at the Coconut Hoops tournament in Fort Myers, Florida in late November.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: South Carolina women’s basketball to host Audi Crooks, Oklahoma State in 2026
