South Carolina women's basketball schedules 2023-24 season opener vs Notre Dame in Paris

Emily Adams
Greenville News

After a historic season in 2022-23, South Carolina women's basketball will make more history in its 2023-24 season opener. The Gamecocks will face Notre Dame in Paris on Nov. 6 for the first NCAA regular-season basketball game on Parisian soil.

South Carolina (36-1) and Notre Dame (27-6) both finished the 2022-23 regular season ranked in the top 10 of both the USA TODAY coaches and Associated Press polls. In the NCAA Tournament, Gamecocks reached their third consecutive Final Four before ultimately falling to Iowa. The Fighting Irish reached the Sweet 16 where they lost to Maryland.

“We did not hesitate to accept the invitation” South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said in a release. “Playing Notre Dame in Paris is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for our student-athletes, and I’m thankful for the support of our administration and our donors.”

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The international destination matchup was set up by Complete Sports Management, the same agency that runs the annual Battle 4 Atlantis tournament in the Bahamas which South Carolina won in 2021. A release from the university athletic department said the venue for the game will be determined at a later date this spring along with the television partner.

The two teams have played just five times and not since 2017. South Carolina has lost all three meetings with the Irish since 2000 but won the first two in 1981 and 1982. Like the Gamecocks, Notre Dame has won two NCAA championships in program history, most recently in 2018 under legendary former coach Muffet McGraw.

Houston Comets' Dawn Staley (4) drives the ball to the basket against Phoenix Mercury's Niele Ivey (11) Aug. 18, 2005, in Houston. The Comets won, 77-66.

Notre Dame is now led by coach Niele Ivey, the 2023 ACC Coach of the Year. Ivey is a Notre Dame alumna and led the Irish to their first national title in 2001. Ivey and Staley played against each other from the WNBA from 2001-2005.