South Carolina women’s basketball is about to step into something the program has never done before: an outdoor game.
The Gamecocks will face College of Charleston on Sept. 27 at Credit One Stadium in Charleston as part of the LinkU Invitational showcase, turning a venue best known for tennis and concerts into a basketball court for the day. It’s a first for South Carolina, and coach Dawn Staley said the program is embracing the idea while keeping one thing front and center.
“We like innovative. We like doing new things and experiencing new things,” Staley said.
“Yes, we are real concerned about the court conditions. But we got two games before ours to make a good decision ... we're not going to put anybody in harm's way for sure.
I think bottom line is player safety.”
South Carolina is scheduled to play third on the day, with tipoff set for 4 p.m. ET.
Before the Gamecocks take the floor, Virginia and Vanderbilt are set to play at noon, followed by College of Charleston and The Citadel at 2 p.m. ET.
Because the games are full length and South Carolina is last on the slate, the Gamecocks could be pushed back if the earlier matchups run long.
The showcase’s website says the event is set to go on “rain or shine.” It also notes that “On occasion, threatening weather may require clearing open seating areas.
Fans should follow announcements and cooperate promptly with stadium staff.” If conditions force a change, the event would move to TD Arena at the College of Charleston.
That weather watch matters in South Carolina in September, when the state can deal with hurricane warnings, heavy rain or extreme heat. Weather has already played a role in football games for South Carolina and Clemson over the past two weeks, with lightning delays on Sept. 12 and Sept.
- For now, though, Charleston’s forecast looks favorable, with sunny skies and a high of 80 degrees.
The timing also makes this exhibition different from the norm. South Carolina usually plays its exhibition game in late October, but this one comes at the end of the first week of practice. Staley’s roster includes seven newcomers: freshmen Justine Loubens, Kaeli Wynn, Kelsi Andrews, Oliviyah Edwards and Jerzy Robinson, along with transfers Brooke Quarles Daniels, a fifth-year guard from Michigan, and Jordan Lee, a junior who spent two seasons at Texas.
Lee said the chance to be part of an outdoor college basketball event is something special.
“We're super excited,” Lee said of the outdoor game. “Any time an event like that has happened in college, I think it's always been something that's elevated, whether it's in volleyball, basketball. So to be a part of it, have an outdoor environment, something that's new, something that's different, and to be able to represent the brand of South Carolina, we're stoked.”
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