The NCAA is turning up the heat on the next two seasons of non-conference basketball competition, with powerhouse programs from the University of South Carolina and the University of Southern California set to determine which team is "The Real SC" via a special two-game series.
The acronymic rivals will first meet at Crypto Arena in Los Angeles on Saturday, November 15th, 2025, before heading to Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina, on the same date the following year.
In anticipation of high ticket demand, series host Complete Sports Management shifted both games to the aforementioned higher-capacity venues, rather than utilizing the teams’ usual on-campus arenas.
"I will always choose elevating women's basketball, and that's especially true in scheduling," South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said in a team statement. "I know Complete Sports Management has the same mission, and I like their creativity in bringing not just two great programs together, but engaging their fan bases on both coasts in a debate they love to have."
Series to showcase the best of NCAA basketball
The newly created series won't just decide "The Real SC," it also pits two of the sport's historic programs against each other in an SEC vs. Big Ten and East Coast vs. West Coast battle for bragging rights.
The defending champion Gamecocks are currently ranked No. 2 in the nation as they gear up for the 2025 March Madness tournament, in which they'll seek a fifth straight Final Four berth and an overall fourth NCAA title.
Meanwhile, the Trojans are chasing South Carolina up the AP Poll in the No. 4 spot, with a goal to equalize with Gamecocks by claiming a third national championship this season. If they're successful, it will be USC's first NCAA trophy since 1984.
Regardless of the 2024/25 NCAA tournament's outcome, both teams will likely still roster multiple future WNBA stars for the foreseeable future, with fans banking on seeing current sophomore stars like South Carolina's MiLaysia Fulwiley and USC's JuJu Watkins featuring in both games of "The Real SC" series.
How to buy tickets to USC vs. South Carolina in "The Real SC"
Tipping off in LA on November 15th, 2025, tickets for the first meeting between the Gamecocks and Trojans in "The Real SC" series will be available for purchase online this Friday at 1 PM ET.
One week into the 2024/25 season and the Big Ten is already leading the college basketball charge, with multiple teams tallying upsets to boost their spots in Monday's AP Top 25 update.
The biggest leap belonged to Maryland, who climbed seven spots to No. 11 after defeating now-No. 16 Duke 85-80 on Sunday. With four double-digit scorers, the Terrapins' team effort was led by junior guard Kaylene Smikle's 23 points.
Maryland's Big Ten compatriots, No. 23 Illinois and No. 25 Oregon, broke into Monday's standings after respective wins against then-No. 19 Florida State on Thursday and then-No. 12 Baylor on Sunday.
Led by former UNC standout Deja Kelly's 20 points, the Ducks staved off a late Baylor surge to secure the 76-74 win, snapping a 13-game losing streak to ranked opponents in the process.
Outside the Big Ten, Stanford also made their 2024/25 poll debut, coming in at No. 24. The Cardinal took their omission from the preseason poll — the first in 25 years with Stanford — as a challenge, defeating their first three season opponents last week by an average of 41 points.
South Carolina maintains stranglehold on No. 1
The preseason top eight teams held their ground this week behind defending champs No. 1 South Carolina, who extended their division-record active unbeaten streak to 40 games with Sunday's 71-57 win over now-No. 13 NC State.
With junior forward Chloe Kitts, who led the Gamecocks with a double-double in their season opener, ruled out due to an academic issue, South Carolina guards Te-Hina Paopao and MiLaysia Fulwiley stepped up in a big way, sinking 23 and 18 points, respectively.
SEC is still NCAA's top basketball conference
While still early days, it does appear that conference realignment and a robust transfer portal has once again emboldened the NCAA's biggest players.
New Big Ten members No. 3 USC, No. 5 UCLA, and No. 24 Oregon join veterans No. 11 Maryland, No. 12 Ohio State, No. 21 Nebraska, and No. 23 Illinois in this week's rankings, tying the SEC with the most teams in the poll at seven.
Even so, the SEC remains the conference to beat, with not just No. 1 South Carolina setting the sport's standard, but three other Top-10 teams. Conference veteran No. 7 LSU and last season's Big 12 stalwarts No. 4 Texas and No. 9 Oklahoma round out the SEC's grip on the top of the rankings, with No. 19 Ole Miss, No. 20 Kentucky, and No. 22 Alabama also featuring in the poll.
AP Top 25 Women's College Basketball Poll
1. South Carolina
2. UConn
3. Southern California
4. Texas
5. UCLA
6. Notre Dame
7. LSU
8. Iowa State
9. Oklahoma
10. Kansas State
11. Maryland
12. Ohio State
13. North Carolina State
14. North Carolina
15. West Virginia
16. Duke
17. Baylor
18. Louisville
19. Ole Miss
20. Kentucky
21. Nebraska
22. Alabama
23. Illinois
24. Stanford
25. Oregon