Staley Announces 2012-2013 Basketball Schedule
COLUMBIA, S.C. (USC SID) — South Carolina women‘s basketball head coach Dawn Staley announced today her team‘s 29-game schedule for 2012-13. Coming off last season‘s NCAA Sweet 16 appearance, the Gamecocks face a slate that features 16 regular-season home games and 10 games against teams that participated in the 2012 NCAA Tournament. Seven of those NCAA Tournament teams come to Colonial Life Arena, including six from the SEC. “This is a schedule we know will be exciting for our fans and will challenge our team throughout the season,” Staley said. “With 10 NCAA Tournament teams from last year coming to Colonial Life Arena, there will be a high level of basketball for our fans to enjoy, and we‘ll need their help to continue last year‘s success this season.” South Carolina opens the season with 13 non-conference games, including eight at Colonial Life Arena and three as part of the U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam in St. Thomas, U.S.V.I. The home slate features visits from archrival Clemson (Sun., Nov. 18) and NCAA Final Four participant Stanford (Wed., Dec. 19). The Gamecocks will also welcome back one of their own as alumnus Karen Middleton brings her Western Carolina Catamounts to Columbia (Sat., Dec. 29). Elon, Savannah State, Drexel, Furman and South Carolina State will pay a visit to Colonial Life Arena as well. The 2012-13 season marks a new phase in the SEC with the addition of Missouri and Texas A&M expanding the league to 14 teams. The league schedule remains 16 games and is set up as a single round robin with one permanent opponent and two random opponents against whom a team will play home-and-home. The Gamecocks‘ permanent opponent is Kentucky, and this season‘s random opponents are Florida and Mississippi State. South Carolina‘s SEC schedule kicks off with NCAA Elite Eight finisher Tennessee coming to Columbia (Thu., Jan. 3). Five other SEC visitors reached at least the second round of the NCAA Tournament last year – Vanderbilt (Thu., Jan. 10), LSU (Thu., Jan. 17), Kentucky (Thu., Jan. 24), Texas A&M (Sun., Feb. 10) and Florida (Sun., Mar. 3). Auburn and Mississippi State will also take on the Gamecocks in Colonial Life Arena. On the road for eight SEC games this season, South Carolina travels to Mississippi State (Sun., Jan 6), Georgia (Sun., Jan. 13), Florida (Sun., Jan, 20), Arkansas (Sun., Jan. 27), Alabama (Thu., Feb. 7), Kentucky (Thu., Feb. 14), Ole Miss (Sun., Feb. 17) and SEC newcomer Missouri (Thu., Feb. 28). This season‘s SEC Tournament tips off on Wed., Mar. 6, in Duluth, Ga., at the Arena at Gwinnett Center. The tournament includes all 16 teams with the championship game slated for Sun., Mar. 10. Visit www.GamecocksOnline.com/tickets or call 1-800-4SC-FANS to purchase your 2012-13 season tickets. Prices start at $50 for general admission, or a Family Four-Pack of tickets is available for $100.
