Texas Longhorns' Matchup vs South Carolina Set TV Milestone

AUSTIN - As the Texas Longhorns ended South Carolina's historic win streak of 57 conference games last Sunday, over 1 million people tuned in to ESPN. The wire-to-wire thriller attracted at most 1.3 million viewers, making it the most-watched women's basketball game on ESPN this season.

This past Sunday afternoon, @TexasWBB vs @GamecockWBB drew 1 MILLION viewers 🤯

🏀 Most-watched #NCAAWBB game on ESPN platforms this season
🏀 Peaked at 1.3M viewers pic.twitter.com/JaVFE9EVdr
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) February 11, 2025

The game led into the Super Bowl and South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley spoke to the popularity of the sport and the honor that it is to be the nation's biggest broadcast before the biggest football game of the year.

"Quite honestly, we're it right now, women's basketball is it right now," Staley said. "They're not gonna put anyone in this game, you know, be the prelude to the Super Bowl. They put us on because they knew the ratings would be there. They knew it was going to be a tightly matched-basketball game. I just hope now that people are seeing our game being showcased, that we'll get the respect in all areas revenue sharing, how we get the respect in all areas that that our game deserves."

Texas Longhorns guard Rori Harmon (3) shoots over defense from South Carolina Gamecocks guard Bree Hall (23) in the second half as the Longhorns take on the Gamecocks at the Moody Center, Feb. 9, 2025. Texas won the game 66-62. | Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Texas Longhorns senior Rori Harmon added to the honor that it is to be the prelude to such a big game.

"It makes me really happy to be part of the history and just this movement with women's basketball," Harmon said. "To be able to have this game right before (the Super Bowl), like a little pre-game game, I think that's so cool having that many (fans) I mean, I've been here for a minute now. I don't remember us being into 10,000 (fans) maybe one other time, but that is so amazing. And we truly believe that the fans helped us and willed us through this game as well. And we're just so excited about women's sports in general."

Not only did the game attract over 1.3 million viewers on ESPN, it was also in front of a sold-out Moody Center crowd. The official attendance was announced as 10,517 and there was not an empty seat in the building.

No. 3 Texas' next matchup is Thursday at No. 8 Kentucky. The game will tip off at 6 p.m. and be aired on ESPN2.

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