SEC Hoops Revealed
SEC Reveals 2026-27 Women's Basketball Schedule, Including LSU's Fort Myers Trip and New Format
Key Points
South Carolina’s SEC dominance is highlighted alongside the opponent reveal: the Gamecocks have won 10 SEC regular-season titles over the last 13 seasons, and coach Dawn Staley is listed as 229–56 in SEC play over that span with a .800 league winning percentage—second only to Pat Summitt (.874) among coaches with more than five SEC seasons.
Kentucky’s report adds context on why the league has only one home-and-away opponent: for the third straight season, the Wildcats will play just one conference foe twice, described as a structural change made after the addition of the Longhorns and Sooners to the SEC.
LSU’s preview underscores how “favorable” the rotating format is perceived to be: the Tigers play only Auburn twice in SEC play, and the article frames the overall league slate as extremely difficult but notes LSU avoided a home-and-home series with any of the league’s “top contenders.”
The LSU article also points to coaching turnover that will shape matchups in 2026-27, noting that three of LSU’s SEC opponents—Georgia, Alabama and Florida—are entering the season with new head coaches.
The SEC released its 2026-27 women's basketball conference opponent assignments on June 16, giving all 16 teams a look at their 16-game home-and-away slate SEC Office. Each program plays eight home and eight road games, with only one opponent scheduled twice — a structure now in its third year since Texas and Oklahoma joined the league in 2024 UK Athletics.
South Carolina enters the season as the clear benchmark. Coach Dawn Staley is 229–56 in SEC play over 13 seasons — a .800 winning percentage trailing only Pat Summitt's .874 all-time USC Athletics. The Gamecocks have won 10 SEC regular-season titles in that span.
South Carolina Draws Oklahoma in Home-and-Home Rematch
South Carolina's lone repeat opponent is Oklahoma — and the framing matters. Oklahoma handed the Gamecocks their only regular-season SEC loss in 2025-26. South Carolina later eliminated the Sooners in the Sweet 16 The State. Now both schools will meet twice: once at Colonial Life Arena and once in Norman.
At home, South Carolina also hosts Alabama, Kentucky, LSU, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, and Texas A&M WACH. On the road, the Gamecocks travel to Georgia, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Texas, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, and Missouri. Seven SEC teams finished in the Top 25 last season, and South Carolina faces most of them.
LSU Avoids Top Rivals in Home-and-Home Draw, Plans Fort Myers Opener
LSU drew Auburn as its lone home-and-away opponent — a result local analysts at TigerBait called
Before SEC play begins December 31, LSU will play two early nonconference games at the Fort Myers Tip-Off. The Tigers face North Carolina State on November 27 and Villanova on November 28 LSU Athletics. It is the fifth annual edition of the tournament.
Three Programs Enter 2026-27 With New Head Coaches
Georgia, Alabama, and Florida are all starting fresh with new head coaches in 2026-27. Georgia named Ayla Guzzardo as its new leader and has already completed staff additions ahead of the season UGA Athletics. That kind of change can take time to settle — new systems, new rotations, new recruiting ties.
These three programs appear on multiple top teams' slates. South Carolina hosts Alabama and Florida and visits Georgia. LSU hosts Georgia and travels to Alabama and Florida. Analysts flag these as
16-Team SEC Format Cuts Classic Rivalries to Single Meetings
For the third straight year, each team plays only one conference opponent twice. That is a direct result of the league expanding to 16 teams in 2024 UK Athletics. Kentucky, for example, will meet Tennessee twice — but will face many traditional rivals just once all season.
The SEC Tournament runs March 3–7 in Greenville, South Carolina — the 10th time it returns to Bon Secours Wellness Arena USC Athletics. South Carolina has led the NCAA in attendance for 12 straight seasons, making a packed arena in Greenville almost certain. Meanwhile, 165 high school teams will compete at the TABC Girls Basketball Showcase in Bryan, Texas, starting June 18 — a key scouting window for programs like Texas and LSU building their 2027 and 2028 recruiting classes TABC.
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