VERMILLION, S.D.—South Dakota women's basketball will take on the 2017 NCAA Champion South Carolina Gamecocks on Dec. 22, 2019, in Columbia, South Carolina, announced Wednesday by head coach Dawn Plitzuweit.
 
This will mark the first meeting between South Carolina and South Dakota in women's basketball. The Coyotes earned their first win against an SEC team last December when they won at then-No. 22 Missouri 74-61.
 
"This is a great opportunity to play an incredible opponent at the end of our non-conference slate," said Plitzuweit. "Our scheduling philosophy is to play the best competition that we can and with South Carolina we have the chance to play not only one of the top teams in the country, but one that plays a different style than we normally see. We hope that we can interest a number of our Coyote fans to join us in Columbia, South Carolina, for this game!"
 
South Dakota finished 28-6 last season, becoming the first Summit League program to earn an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Coyotes return a plethora of depth from last year including four starters in senior Ciara Duffy, senior Madison McKeever, senior Taylor Frederick, junior Chloe Lamb, along with last year's Summit League Sixth Woman of the Year in Hannah Sjerven. USD adds a trio of freshmen to the mix for 2019-20.
 
South Carolina reached the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16 for the sixth-straight year in 2019, wrapping up a 23-10 season. In addition to the nation's No. 1 recruiting class, the Gamecocks return two all-SEC performers and two SEC all-freshmen picks.
 
The Coyotes boast four Power Five victories under the helm of Plitzuweit the past three seasons. In addition to Missouri, South Dakota has topped Iowa State, Michigan State and Illinois.
 
The complete schedule for Coyote women's basketball is taking shape and is expect to be announced later this summer, along with season ticket information, on GoYotes.com.