South Carolina women’s basketball achieves record season viewership.

In a stunning turn of events on Sunday, South Carolina’s women’s basketball team suffered a defeat to the Texas Longhorns in Austin. This marked the Gamecocks’ first regular-season conference loss since 2021. However, despite the loss, USC managed to deliver a victory for ESPN.

The South Carolina-Texas game, competing against pregame Super Bowl coverage, garnered impressive viewership. The game averaged over 1 million viewers, with the peak audience reaching 1.3 million, as announced by ESPN PR on Tuesday. These numbers stand as the highest for an ESPN-broadcasted women’s basketball game this season, with only Fox broadcasting games drawing larger audiences.

South Carolina’s games have always drawn significant attention. Last season, the Gamecocks’ showdown with UConn surpassed 1 million viewers, while the 2022-2023 match against LSU nearly hit 1.5 million. And this weekend, Dawn Staley’s squad could replicate that success.

USC will renew its heated rivalry with the UConn Huskies on Sunday afternoon, as College GameDay makes its way to Colonial Life Arena. The highly anticipated matchup between two top-10 teams will tip off at 1:00 p.m., broadcast live on ABC. The pregame show will be split between ABC and ESPN, and fans can also catch the action via the ESPN app.

Both South Carolina and UConn are ranked in the AP Top 10, but they hold even stronger positions in the NET rankings, sitting at No. 1 and No. 2, respectively. While the Gamecocks have accumulated two losses this season, a win over Geno Auriemma’s squad would enhance USC’s case for having the nation’s top resume.

Before the Sunday showdown with UConn, South Carolina will host an SEC contest against the Florida Gators this Thursday night. The 7:00 p.m. game at CLA will air on the SEC Network, with streaming available through the ESPN app.

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Brady Hunt Rejoins Garnet Trust, confirming his return to South Carolina Football

In a significant development for South Carolina football, Brady Hunt, a 6-foot-5, 253-pound tight end, has signed a new NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) deal with the Gamecocks’ official collective, The Garnet Trust, ensuring his return to the program for the upcoming season.

Hunt, who transferred to South Carolina from Ball State last offseason, was part of the Gamecocks’ three-man tight end rotation in 2024 alongside Joshua Simon and Michael Smith. He made valuable contributions during the season, recording two receptions for 22 yards, including a key first-down grab late in the victory over Missouri. Known for his versatility both as a blocker and a receiver, Hunt is expected to take on an even larger role next season, especially with Simon having exhausted his eligibility.

Before joining South Carolina, Hunt had an impressive 2022 season at Ball State, where he caught 46 passes for 498 yards and five touchdowns. His strong performance at Ball State and subsequent transfer to the Gamecocks highlight his potential to become a key player in South Carolina’s offensive game plan.

This new NIL deal underscores the Gamecocks’ commitment to player retention, with The Garnet Trust playing a crucial role in securing such agreements. Retaining players like Hunt is essential for the program’s continued success, and head coach Shane Beamer has stressed the importance of building strong relationships and maintaining open communication to keep the team unified and motivated.