By james art 
The Michigan Wolverines take on the No. 1 South Carolina Gamecocks in their season opener on Monday, November 4, 2024. (11/4/24) at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
How to watch: Fans can watch the game for free via a DirecTV Stream trial. You can also watch with a Sling TV subscription, which offers half off your first month.
Here’s what you need to know:
What: Women’s College Basketball
WHO: Michigan vs. South Carolina
When: Monday, November 4 (11/4/24)
where: T-Mobile Arena
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
television: TNT, truTV
Live Stream: DirecTV Stream (Free Trial)
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Here’s a women’s college basketball story via the Associated Press:
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina began its march toward excellence a year ago in the City of Lights.
A season after opening in Paris, the top-ranked Gamecocks begin their national title defense in another fancy, glitzy venue when they face Michigan in Las Vegas on Monday night.
“What do I like about him?” South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said Friday.
Where should it start?
First, Staley said big games like last year’s 100-71 win over No. 10 Notre Dame give the unknown, talented but untested Gamecocks a chance to find out what they have.
It was also a bonding experience where players, some of whom were not from outside the country, visited landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre Museum to see the Mona Lisa.
Staley knows it will be a different experience. There’s not much need to get to know each other, as most of last year’s undefeated national title-winning team is back. But Staley wants to see them under pressure against a top-tier opponent like the Big Ten Conference Wolverines, who have earned six NCAA tournament berths in the past seven seasons.
“Yeah, you’re good to do it,” Staley said.
Her roosters look ready for the start of the season. Sophomore MiLaysia Fulwiley was an unpolished player when she played her first game in Paris. But that talent is showing, with even the great Magic Johnson spotting Fulwiley’s full-court shot with a backhand finish.
Fulwiley admitted she needed to improve to fit into Staley’s rotation, and she ended up becoming a reliable, high-quality part of the championship team. Fulwiley was the first freshman to be named Southeastern Conference Tournament MVP after averaging 14.3 points in three games, including 24 in the final over LSU.
Fulwiley said last season’s trip was a great starting point for a team that needed to prove itself. This group, Fulvili said, has built on their strong chemistry this offseason, and she thinks this trip can start another successful streak.
“I’m just excited to be out there and just have the chance to do what we love to do,” Fulwiley said.
Michigan won’t be the only test on South Carolina’s schedule. The Gamecocks play No. 9 NC State in their second game on Nov. 10 in Charlotte, N.C., and will face No. 5 UCLA, No. 8 Iowa State and No. 11 Duke in the first month of the season.
Staley is eager to see if her players can handle the challenging stretch. She largely liked the effort and attention to detail the team showed her during fall camp, and knows the players are itching to get the ball rolling again, regardless of location.
The trip to Paris made family and friends in the stands a luxury during the week or so in France. That won’t be the case in Las Vegas, according to Staley, who has already heard from many of her team’s “FAMS” who plan to attend.
“But we’re going to do a good job of making sure it’s a business trip, just like Paris was for us,” said Staley, who won three national titles in his previous 16 seasons at South Carolina.
Fulwiley and her teammates are targeting a second straight NCAA title and third in four seasons. The goal all offseason was to build on last year’s positives and show that the loss of a leading scorer and rebounder in 6-foot-7 Camila Cardoso shouldn’t slow South Carolina down this season.
Their Las Vegas game is where the show begins, Fulvili said.
“I just think we need to go out there and warn everybody,” she said. “We’re No. 1 this year, but that doesn’t mean anything to us. We’re just trying to work hard, go out there and just show the whole world that we’ve been training.”
(The Associated Press contributed to this report)
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