VERMILLION, S.D.—South Dakota women's basketball and Final Four participant South Carolina will meet for the third-straight season. The two teams will face off as a part of The Invitational, a one-day doubleheader showcase featuring four elite women's basketball teams inside the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls.
 
The Invitational, which features Arizona vs. Louisville and South Carolina vs. South Dakota, will take place on Nov. 12 and will be televised on ESPN Networks. Tickets will go on sale at a later date.
 
"We are so excited to be one of the four programs featured in this nationally televised doubleheader," said South Dakota head coach Dawn Plitzuweit. "We had the privilege of playing in a tournament hosted by Complete Sports Management and the Sanford Pentagon last season, and it was a first-class experience down to the very last detail! For us to get to take on one of most elite teams in the country and to get to do so in our home state of South Dakota will not only be great for Coyote Nation, but also a great early season measuring stick for our team."
 
All four teams qualified for the 2021 NCAA Tournament with Arizona and South Carolina reaching the Final Four.
 
The Coyotes and the Gamecocks meet for the third-straight season and for the second-straight year at the Sanford Pentagon. Both teams were a part of the 2020 Bad Boy Mowers Crossover Classic last Thanksgiving. South Dakota was tied with top-ranked South Carolina at the half, but the Gamecocks used a 16-2 third-quarter run to pull away in an 81-71 win.
 
South Dakota makes its ninth appearance at the Sanford Pentagon. Last season, the Coyotes won the Summit League Tournament on the court to advance to the NCAA Tournament for the third-straight year.
 
The Coyotes return all five starters from last year's tournament team, including Summit League Defensive Player of the Year Hannah Sjerven, Summit Tournament MVP Chloe Lamb and all-Summit pick Liv Korngable.
 
The SEC's South Carolina is the fourth Power 5 program to be announced as a part of South Dakota's nonconference schedule. The Coyotes will also face the Big Ten's Northwestern, the SEC's Texas A&M and the ACC's Pitt as a part of the Paradise Jam in the U.S. Virgin Islands over Thanksgiving weekend. Stay up-to-date with schedule announcements for the 2021-22 season on GoYotes.com.