Some programs elect to schedule "cupcake matchups" for their exhibition contests. These games typically end in blowout fashion but allow the respective team to work out their kinks ahead of the upcoming season.
Courtney Banghart and the UNC women's basketball program aren't looking for easy wins, they want all the smoke against the country's top teams.
It was announced that the Tar Heels will take on South Carolina in an exhibition game on Thursday, October 30. The game will be held at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, and is set to tip-off at 6:00 PM EST.
See you in the ATL 👋 pic.twitter.com/DmpCp88lIG
— Carolina Women's Basketball (@uncwbb) July 29, 2025
This game will be the first of a double-header, as a men's game between Auburn and Memphis will take place after. Tickets will become available to fans who wish to attend on the morning of August 8.
Dawn Staley and the Gamecocks are coming off a run to the national championship game, as their blowout loss to UConn has them focused on redemption heading into the new season. For the Tar Heels, they are coming off a stellar 29-8 season, a year that ended in disappointing fashion in the Sweet 16 against rival Duke.
North Carolina will look a bit different this year, given the trio of Lexi Donarski, Maria Gakdeng and Alyssa Ustby have exhausted their eligibility. While they will be missed, the UNC women's basketball program has no plans of rebuilding, they simply re-loaded. With 10 returners, including a few incoming transfers and freshmen, the Tar Heels expect to be one of the best the country has to offer, and will get tested right out of the gate when they take on South Carolina prior to the start of the 2025-2026 season.
Games like these are ones that help programs build toward being ready for a deep run come March. Regardless of the outcome, it's a game that will definitely help the UNC women's basketball program jumpstart its quest for a deep postseason run this season.