Purdue Women's Basketball to Play Defending Champion South Carolina in Fort Myers Tip-Off

Purdue will have tough challenges in the Fort Myers Tip-Off, playing Middle Tennessee and South Carolina. The event is held during Thanksgiving weekend.

Purdue coach Katie Gearlds after a basketball game / Nikos Frazier / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Purdue women's basketball team is going to face quite a challenge this Thanksgiving. This week, the Boilermakers learned that they will be playing Middle Tennessee and defending national champion South Carolina in the Fort Myers Tip-Off in November.

Purdue's social media team announced the schedule update on Wednesday.

The Boilermakers will play Middle Tennessee on Thursday, Nov. 28. On Saturday, Nov. 30, Purdue will play South Carolina. Both games will be played at Suncoast Credit Union Arena

In the Sunshine State for Thanksgiving ☀️😎🦃 pic.twitter.com/9l57lR6dKi

— Purdue Women's Basketball (@PurdueWBB) June 26, 2024

Both games will hold some significance for Purdue.

The Boilermakers will see a familiar face on the opposite side of the floor when they play Middle Tennessee. Emily Monson, who spent her freshman season in West Lafayette, transferred to play for the Blue Raiders following the 2023-24 campaign.

Monson played in 20 games for the Boilermakers last year. She scored 12 points, had nine rebounds and dished out eight assists for the season. She logged a season-high 14 minutes in a game against Southern Indiana and scored four points against UCLA.

Obviously, the matchup against South Carolina will be a true test for Katie Gearlds and the Boilers. Last season, the Gamecocks were crowned national champions after finishing the season with a perfect 38-0 record.

South Carolina has won two of the last three NCAA national championships and has reached the Final Four in each of the past four seasons. In that time, Dawn Staley's program has compiled an impressive 135-8 record.

Last season, Purdue finished with a 15-19 record, reaching the Great 8 round of the WNIT. The Boilermakers will be entering the fourth year under Gearlds.

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