Texas Longhorns Seek Thanksgiving Revenge vs. South Carolina Gamecocks

The Texas Longhorns women’s basketball team is on a hot streak.

That much is known. However, what stands in front of them on the evening of Thanksgiving could be their toughest battle yet.

Head coach Vic Schaefer and his squad are set for a 7 p.m. tipoff against the South Carolina Gamecocks on Thursday, which could serve as a crucial checkpoint to see how the team has progressed so far this season.

Texas vs. South Carolina Preview

Texas Longhorns vs. South Carolina Gamecocks — Mar 9, 2025; Greenville, SC, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks guard Raven Johnson (25) looks to pass to guard Tessa Johnson (5) over Texas Longhorns guard Bryanna Preston (1) during the second half at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The Longhorns claimed a momentous 76-65 win against the UCLA Bruins on Tuesday to commence the Players Era Tournament in Las Vegas, Nevada, but now it’s time for them to face a team they are quite familiar with.

South Carolina’s only ranked win so far in 2025 has been against the No. 8 USC Trojans, and they will look to add their second to the collection against the Longhorns in Vegas.

Those who follow either team likely remember that they last met each other in the semi-final round of last season’s NCAA tournament, a matchup in which the Gamecocks took control. The final score read 74-57, demonstrating the extent to which South Carolina dominated.

The team ended up losing 82-59 to the UConn Huskies in the tournament final, but they have returned this year with the hope of finishing the job.

With a new assortment of newcomers and returners, the Longhorns look to reach new heights of their own. This is a roster marked by depth and talent, with players like forward Madison Booker, point guard Rori Harmon, guard Jordan Lee and guard Aaliyah Crump leading the charge.

They have established themselves as a team to beat, and a victory on Thursday against such a strong program would further solidify their spot as one of the nation’s best teams.

That being said, regardless of how today goes, there is a lot of basketball left to play this season. They will get at least one more shot against the Gamecocks during conference play in Columbia, South Carolina, on Jan 15.

The two teams could also meet again in both the SEC tournament and the NCAA tournament, just as they did last year. South Carolina won two of the three matchups between these programs.

Thursday’s matchup will serve as a benchmark game, giving each team the space to evaluate how far they have come and determine what still needs to be done to prepare for SEC games this season.