NCAA women’s college basketball tips off its 2026/27 schedule on November 1st, delivering a jam-packed lineup built to grab attention early. The broadcast slate opens with some this year's top-ranked programs from UConn to South Carolina, as clashes in Rome, Paris, Boston, and Las Vegas set the stage for another high-stakes college basketball season.
South Carolina, UConn Kickstart 2026/27 NCAA Women's Schedule
Star guard Hannah Hidalgo kicks things off, leading No. 13 Notre Dame into battle with Villanova in Rome, Italy on November 1st. Dubbed The Eternal City Tip-Off, the trip features an Irish vs Wildcats men's and women's doubleheader at the Palazzo dello Sport, complete with a private mass and Papal audience at the Vatican.
Next, Dawn Staley and the South Carolina Gamecocks headline a November 2nd doubleheader in the French capital. The No. 1 ranked program will face No. 20 Maryland as Paris hosts its fourth annual women's basketball showcase.
Two weeks later, the Gamecocks host JuJu Watkins and the USC Trojans. The former AP Player of the Year was sidelined all of 2025/26 after an ACL tear. However, Watkins looks to be in fighting form after excelling in the Trojans' preseason exhibition matches.
UConn, meanwhile, faces No. 4 Duke in Boston on November 28th. The Huskies have taken 11 straight from the Blue Devils, though a head-to-head hasn't gone down since the 2023/24 season.
The schedule builds toward the Players Era Tournament in Las Vegas on December 19-20, where South Carolina, USC, UCLA, Duke, Notre Dame, and Texas compete across two nights. The draw includes defending champion UCLA taking on South Carolina in a rematch of last season's NCAA women's basketball championship, along with a Texas vs UCLA semifinal sequel.
Find the full 2026/27 women's college basketball schedule and broadcast details on NCAA.com.
