How to watch No. 1 South Carolina WBB vs. No. 11 Utah: TV, time, top storylines

The undefeated South Carolina Gamecocks play their fourth game against a ranked opponent when they face No. 11 Utah this weekend in the Hall of Fame Women’s Showcase in Connecticut.

Here’s everything you need to know about the contest, including how to watch, top storylines and more:

What channel is the South Carolina game on?

Who: No. 1 South Carolina (8-0) vs. No. 11 Utah (7-1)

When: Sunday, 2:30 p.m.

Where: Hall of Fame Women’s Showcase at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.

TV network: ESPN

Stream: WatchESPN and ESPN app

Top storylines for the game

• Another ranked, neutral-site matchup: The last time South Carolina played a team ranked as high as Utah on a neutral basketball court was in Paris against then-No. 10 Notre Dame. The Gamecocks had a harder time on the road against North Carolina and Duke last week, but a neutral-site game puts both teams on equal footing and should make for an exciting game in Connecticut.

• Overcoming Alissa Pili: Pili is Utah’s leading scorer, averaging 23.2 points per game on 73.6% shooting. Coach Dawn Staley said there isn’t really a “best way” to guard the 6-foot-2 forward. The approach instead will be to limit direct passes to Pili. “Once she gets you playing behind, it’s over,” Staley said. “And it doesn’t matter how tall you are. Doesn’t matter how strong you are. That is that is what she does best. So we’ve got to limit the amount of opportunities of her doing the things that she does best.”

• Limiting Utah’s 3-point shooting: No team in the country is shooting the 3 ball like Utah. The Utes have had four games where they sank more than 15 3s (21, 18 and 17 twice), and have only sank fewer than 10 on two occasions. Because they shoot at a 43.6% clip from beyond the arc, Staley said contesting 3s “just won’t do. We have to run them off the 3-point line.”

• Utes without impactful wing guard Gianna Kneepkens: Utah’s second-leading scorer sustained a season-ending injury last Saturday during an 87-68 win over BYU. Before breaking two bones and tearing a ligament in her right foot, Kneepkens averaged 17.8 points per game and shot 54% from 3.
  
  

South Carolina WBB schedule

• Nov. 6: South Carolina 100, Notre Dame 71

• Nov. 12: South Carolina 114, Maryland 76

• Nov. 16: South Carolina 109, Clemson 40

• Nov. 20: South Carolina 78, South Dakota State 38

• Nov. 24: South Carolina 101, Mississippi Valley State 19

• Nov. 30: South Carolina 65, North Carolina 58

• Dec. 3: South Carolina 77, Duke 61

• Dec. 6: South Carolina 104, Morgan State 38

• Dec. 10: vs. No. 11 Utah (in Connecticut), 2:30 p.m. (ESPN)

• Dec. 16: vs. Presbyterian, 1 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)

• Dec. 19: at Bowling Green, 7 p.m. (ESPN Plus)

• Dec. 30: at East Carolina, 12 p.m. (ESPN 2)

• Jan. 4: at Florida, 7 p.m. (SEC Network)

• Jan. 7: vs. Mississippi State, 1 p.m. (ESPN)

• Jan. 11: at Missouri, 8 p.m.

• Jan. 15: vs. Kentucky, 7 p.m. (SEC Network)

• Jan. 21: at Texas A&M, 5 p.m. (SEC Network)

• Jan. 25: at No. 7 LSU, 8 p.m. (ESPN)

• Jan. 28: vs. Vanderbilt, 3 p.m. (SEC Network)

• Feb. 1: at Auburn, 8 p.m.

• Feb. 4: vs. Ole Miss, 2 p.m. (ESPN 2)

• Feb. 8: vs. Missouri, 7 p.m. (SEC Network)

• Feb. 11: vs. No. 17 UConn, 2 p.m. (ESPN)

• Feb. 15: at Tennessee, 7 p.m. (ESPN)

• Feb. 18: vs Georgia, 2 p.m. (ESPN 2 or SEC Network)

• Feb. 22: vs. Alabama, 7 p.m. (SEC Network)

• Feb. 25: at Kentucky, 3 p.m. (SEC Network)

• Feb. 29: at Arkansas, 9 p.m. (SEC Network)

• March 3: vs. Tennessee, 12 p.m. (ESPN)

• March 6-10: SEC Tournament