For the first time since 2013-14, there’s no UConn vs. South Carolina showdown on the schedule. The matchup that has been the crown jewel of women’s college basketball for the past decade won’t be happening… at least not in the regular season. So when the schedules dropped, and the tie was nowhere to be found, the internet did what it does best: it started spreading rumors about Dawn Staley avoiding the matchup after last season’s 23-point loss in the national championship game. But the Gamecocks’ head coach appears to have been ready with the perfect response.

In a clip shared by reporter Chaz Frazier, Dawn Staley addressed the accusations, saying, “It is important. We’ve been accused of ducking and all of that crap. Like, come on, we’ve played UConn for the past, I don’t know, 11 seasons. Now is the time to duck? We could have ducked seven, eight, nine years ago.”

The “ducking” talk started after the Gamecocks lost both of their matchups to Auriemma and Co. last season. Much of the speculation centered around South Carolina allegedly trying to avoid facing UConn star Azzi Fudd, who dropped 24 points and earned Most Outstanding Player honors in the Huskies’ 82–59 national championship win. Combined with an earlier 87–58 regular-season loss in Columbia. Since the 2014-15 season, these two giants have faced off 14 times, including some unforgettable clashes in March Madness. UConn currently leads the head-to-head series 9-5. Fans used those results as fuel for claims that Staley was running from another showdown. But she clarified it, saying,

“No, it just so happened that they had more games scheduled in their conference, so it was hard to continue the home-and-home. But we were going to find a way to play. Unfortunately for us, it’s at the Hall of Fame event. So it’s great competition for us and for women’s basketball.”

As EssentiallySports clarified yesterday, the real reason this matchup isn’t happening this season is that the Big East switched back to a 20-game, full round-robin conference schedule for the first time since the 2022-23 campaign. In the past two seasons, teams have only played 18 conference games, which left UConn room to schedule high-profile non-conference games, such as South Carolina.

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To make the matchup possible, the game was shifted from its traditional February slot to November of the following season, when both teams have more flexibility in their schedules. A smart solution. However, it comes with a downside for UConn. The Huskies usually count on facing top-tier opponents like South Carolina during Big East play to stay battle-tested heading into March. With the expanded conference schedule, those high-caliber midseason tests won’t be as easy to squeeze in anymore.

What’s next for Dawn Staley and Geno Auriemma?

Both Dawn Staley and Geno Auriemma kicked off the season in style. South Carolina steamrolled Grand Canyon 94–54, while UConn started the post-Paige Bueckers era strong with a 79–66 win over No. 20 Louisville. And now? Both teams are staring down some intriguing matchups ahead.

It looks like another smooth ride for the Gamecocks. They’ll take on the Bowling Green Falcons, a Mid-American Conference team, in their next matchup. According to ESPN, South Carolina has a 99% chance of winning! So, don’t be surprised if Dawn Staley and Co. cruise to another 40-point victory or more.

For Geno Auriemma and the Huskies, things get a bit trickier, but still very winnable. Their next matchup is against the Florida State Seminoles, an ACC team, and it’ll take place at UConn’s home court. ESPN gives the Huskies a 97.3% probability of taking the win, but with ACC competition coming to town, don’t expect it to be a walk in the park.