"Geno and Dawn would want to face each other": Analyst weighs in on UConn–South Carolina schedule snub

College sports analyst Chelsea Sherrod has weighed in on the cancellation of the UConn-South Carolina regular-season clash this season.

The Huskies and the Gamecocks began their non-conference rivalry in the 2014-15 season. It was one of the sought-after games in women's basketball for 11 consecutive years until a UConn source confirmed to CT Insider that the Huskies would not continue their regular-season series in the 2025-26 season.

Sherrod discussed the situation during her guest appearance on The Hoops Cap podcast. Although it's not clear what caused UConn to skip South Carolina on its regular season schedule, she suggested that the Huskies' game in Germany and the home-and-home series with Ohio State could be potential reasons for the schedule snub.

"So there's a lot of different mixes or mix-ups to this schedule. So maybe it could just be, 'let's just do something a little bit different," Sherrod said (Timestamp: 4:17). "I feel like especially for Dawn (Staley) and Geno (Auriemma), they would want to play each other because they're like, you know, 'we want to be the best, you have to beat the best."

The new schedule would mean the two titans of women's basketball could only meet in the NCAA Tournament in late March or early April.

UConn and South Carolina fought 16 times over the past 11 years, with the Huskies leading the series, 11-5. Geno Auriemma's team went 2-0 against Dawn Staley's squad last season, including a 82-59 pounding in the national championship game at the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida, on April 6.

---

UConn unveils a loaded nonconference schedule for the 2025-26 season

Reigning champions UConn will still have a loaded nonconference schedule this season despite the cancellation of hostilities with South Carolina.

Aside from their game at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany against Louisville on Nov. 4 and their scheduled home-and-home series against Ohio State, the Huskies will take part in the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame Showcase against Utah (Nov. 21) and Michigan or Syracuse (Nov. 23).

UConn will conclude its home-and-home series against South Florida on Dec. 3 in Tampa and will meet Iowa in the Women's Champions Classic on Dec. 20 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

The Huskies will also have nonconference clashes against Tennessee, USC Trojans and Notre Dame this season, but the schedule for these games, while the rest of the regular season games is yet to be announced.