Gamecocks to Play in SEC/Big 12 Challenge in 2016

COLUMBIA, S.C. (USC SID) — The Southeastern and Big 12 conferences have announced an extension of their women‘s basketball challenge that will expand to 10 games in 2016 and 2017. South Carolina will participate in the event in the 2016-17 season, traveling to Texas to face the Longhorns. Ten teams from the SEC will participate while every team from the Big 12 will take part in the Challenge each season. The format features five home games on campus sites for each conference per year. Teams will not face the same opponent twice. In 2016, games will be scheduled over the dates of Thursday, December 1, through Sunday, December 4. Exact dates of matchups and television designation will be released when available. “We are excited to see the SEC/Big 12 Challenge expand in women‘s basketball,” said SEC Commissioner Mike Slive. “The matchups on these four days, each year, will showcase the strength and depth of our women‘s basketball teams and provide the fans of both conferences with exhilarating games.” The inaugural challenge was held in 2014 in Little Rock, Ark., and featured a top 5 matchup with No. 3 Texas squaring off against No. 4 Texas A&M. Oklahoma and Arkansas, who were both receiving votes in the Associated Press Poll, played in the second game. The conferences split the Challenge with the two games decided by a total of nine points. The 2015 version will be contested in Oklahoma City on Sunday, December 20, with the opponents reversed. Texas will play Arkansas while Oklahoma entertains Texas A&M. 2016 SEC/Big 12 Women‘s Basketball Matchups Baylor at Tennessee Mississippi State at Iowa State Kansas at Alabama Auburn at Kansas State Oklahoma at Kentucky Georgia at Oklahoma State TCU at Florida South Carolina at Texas Texas Tech at Arkansas Ole Miss at West Virginia 2017 SEC/Big 12 Women‘s Basketball Matchups Kentucky at Baylor Iowa State at Vanderbilt Arkansas at Kansas Kansas State at Missouri Florida at Oklahoma Oklahoma State at Mississippi State Alabama at TCU Texas at Georgia LSU at Texas Tech West Virginia at Texas A&M