South Carolina, Notre Dame women's basketball teams to play in Paris

The South Carolina and Notre Dame women's basketball teams will open next season in Paris on Nov. 6, the schools announced Wednesday.

It's the first time an NCAA regular-season basketball game has been played in the French capital, which will host the 2024 Summer Olympics.

«Playing Notre Dame in Paris is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for our student-athletes, and I'm thankful for the support of our administration and our donors,» South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said.

The Gamecocks (2017, 2022) and Irish (2001, 2018) are both two-time national champion programs.

South Carolina made its third consecutive women's Final Four this year before losing its only game of the season in the national semifinals to Iowa. Notre Dame advanced to the Sweet 16. Both teams won the regular-season championship in their conferences.

South Carolina is No. 7 and Notre Dame No. 10 in ESPN's Way-Too-Early Top 25 list for the 2023-2024 season. The Gamecocks had five players taken in Monday's WNBA draft, including No. 1 overall pick Aliyah Boston.

«It's always been my mission to break barriers and provide opportunities for my players to have life-changing experiences,» Notre Dame coach Niele Ivey said of playing in Paris. «Women's basketball is on the rise, and having this exposure will help to grow the game on an international level.»