South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley talks to an official during the first half of action of their women’s basketball game against Clemson at Colonial Life Arena on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.
tglantz@thestate.com
The South Carolina women’s basketball team is set to play two mid-major opponents in “buy games” this week.
Dawn Staley and the No. 2 Gamecocks will face in-state foe Winthrop on Wednesday night at Colonial Life Arena followed by Queens (NC) on Sunday afternoon.
Here’s a look at both games and what the two schools gain by playing at USC, according to contracts obtained by The State via public records request.
What is a buy game?
A “buy game” is typically a matchup between a high-major school and a mid-major school where the high-major program pays the smaller program for a one-off road game at the high-major’s home arena.
The guaranteed money paid to the smaller schools in a buy game varies by sport. For example, South Carolina football will pay Coastal Carolina $1.4 million for playing the Gamecocks this weekend. The South Carolina men’s basketball team paid Presbyterian $95,000 to play at Colonial Life Arena last week.
In 2024, South Carolina paid out $2.62 million in competition guarantees, per the Knight-Newhouse College Athletics Database. South Carolina women’s basketball owes Grand Canyon $20,000 for its season-opening matchup
Buy games typically benefit both schools involved. The high-major program usually gets an easy win and the mid-major program can use the money made from the game to help bolster its athletic department budget.
Bonus points go to the mid-major program if it can pull off an upset.
South Carolina-Winthrop game contract details
Wednesday’s women’s basketball matchup will be the first in a decade between South Carolina and Winthrop. The two teams last played in 2015.
South Carolina holds an 8-5 record in the all-time series and hasn’t lost to Winthrop (which is located in Rock Hill and plays in the Big South) since 1978.
South Carolina athletics will pay Winthrop $25,000 to play the Gamecocks, per the game contract. That money must be paid by March 31, 2026. South Carolina will also give Winthrop 75 free tickets to the game.
Winthrop is 2-2 so far this season. South Carolina will be its second high-major opponent of the year. Winthrop lost to Marquette 89-57 in its opener.
The Eagles finished with a winning record last year for the first time since the 2014-15 season. Winthrop’s last NCAA tournament appearance was in 2014.
What’s in the Gamecocks’ contract with Queens?
South Carolina’s game against Queens on Sunday is believed to be the second-ever matchup between the two schools.
The last game between the two was played in Raleigh in 1979, when Queens was called Queens College, and when women’s college sports were governed by the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women. The Gamecocks won 103-55.
Queens will be paid $25,000 by South Carolina for Sunday’s game, according to the game contract. That money must be paid before April 1, 2026. South Carolina will also give Queens 100 free tickets for the game.
Queens completed its transition to Division I in July and is now fully eligible for NCAA postseason competition. The Royals, who are members of the Atlantic Sun and went 10-19 last year, are 2-2 in 2025 and haven’t played a high-major team.
This story was originally published November 19, 2025 at 9:42 AM.
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Michael Sauls is The State’s South Carolina women’s basketball reporter. He previously worked at The Virginian-Pilot covering Norfolk State and Hampton University sports. A Columbia native, he is an alum of the University of South Carolina.
