JuJu Watkins returns as South Carolina and USC meet again in a fast-growing rivalry

Thanksgiving isn't for a few weeks, but there's already a feast of good matchups in women's basketball and the season is barely a week old.

No. 1 South Carolina will face third-ranked USC on Sunday for the third time in the past 12 months. The Gamecocks won the first two meetings, including an NCAA Tournament second-round victory last season. The Trojans will have JuJu Watkins back in the lineup this time as the sensational wing missed both of last season's game while she was still rehabbing an ACL injury she suffered 20 months ago.

The Gamecocks have looked dominant so far in their first two games, beating ranked opponents Maryland and North Carolina. The victory over the Tar Heels was by 45 points — the team's largest over a Top 25 team, according to ESPN.

Watkins has looked strong in her return. She averaged 26.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 3.5 steals in easy wins over UNLV and Utah State.

South Carolina had its own return with Chloe Kitts, who missed last season with an ACL injury also. She had 17 points and 10 rebounds in the victory over the Tar Heels. It was Kitts' first double-double since she had 15 points and 11 rebounds against Maryland in the 2025 NCAA Tournament.

Both the Gamecocks and Trojans play before Sunday's showdown.

That same day No. 8 Vanderbilt and Mikayla Blakes will visit 10th-ranked Iowa. The Hawkeyes are coming off a loss at UConn. Sunday's game will be an opportunity for Vanderbilt to go on the road and play in a loud road environment before the tough SEC schedule that awaits them in the new year.

The Commodores are 3-0 and have scored more than 100 points in each of their first three contests, albeit this will be a giant step up in competition.

Also on Sunday, No. 4 UConn plays at seventh-ranked Louisville. The Cardinals have looked dominant in the three victories so far while the Huskies suffered a rare November loss, falling at Michigan.

Ivy League contenders

It's a busy week for some of the top teams in the Ivy League as Columbia, Princeton and Penn all play ranked teams. The Lions will host No. 2 Michigan on Thursday night — the highest ranked opponent ever to visit Columbia before visiting No. 19 Maryland on Sunday. Princeton has a busy week with a home game against Villanova on Tuesday before a west coast trip to face Pepperdine and No. 10 UCLA. Penn will host No. 23 North Carolina on Saturday.

Honoring Summitt

The U.S. Postal Service announced Monday that former Tennessee coach Pat Summitt will be honored with a stamp in 2027 along with baseball great Willie Mays.

Summitt's stamp features a portrait of the Hall of Fame coach, who died at age 64 in 2016. She led the Lady Vols to eight NCAA championships and 1,098 victories in her career, which was cut short after she was diagnosed with early onset dementia, Alzheimer’s type before the 2011-12 season. She retired after that season at age 59 and started the Pat Summitt Foundation.

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