Duke women's basketball nonconference schedule features matchups with South Carolina, Oregon State

<p>Joanne P. McCallie brought in a four-player recruiting class, including the versatile Jada Claude.</p>

Joanne P. McCallie brought in a four-player recruiting class, including the versatile Jada Claude.

After making a Sweet 16 run in 2018, Duke will look to test itself away from home early as it hopes for a second straight NCAA tournament berth.

Head coach Joanne P. McCallie officially revealed the Blue Devils' 2018-2019 nonconference schedule Friday in a press release. Five teams from last season's NCAA tournament—including  Elite Eight teams South Carolina and Oregon State—are slated for the first half, as well as a debut appearance at the Gulf Coast Showcase in Estero, Fla., in November. 

Duke will spend a decent chunk of its nonconference slate on the road before returning to Cameron to close out 2018.

The Blue Devils will have a chance to showcase an offense headlined by junior Leaonna Odom and redshirt junior Haley Gorecki Nov. 11 in a season-opening road matchup against Northwestern in Evanston, Ill., before a trip to Maine, where McCallie first coached from 1992-2000, on Nov. 15.

Duke's first nonconference matchup in Durham will take place Nov. 18 against Elon. The Blue Devils and the Phoenix split the all-time series 4-4, with Duke taking the past four matchups between the two programs.

The Blue Devils will then conclude November with the Gulf Coast Showcase during Thanksgiving weekend followed by an ACC/Big 10 Challenge road game against Wisconsin Nov. 28. Every team participating in the Gulf Coast Showcase will face three opponents, with the full tournament bracket set to be released in August.

Five of Duke's six games in December will take place in Cameron, with the lone road game against Oregon State in Corvallis, Ore., Dec. 20. Just last year, the Blue Devils took down the Beavers 72-65 in Durham. 

Also featured in Duke's December slate is a matchup against South Carolina Dec. 9. The Gamecocks have won two of the most recent three matchups—the teams have met each of the past three seasons—but when South Carolina last visited Durham in Dec. 2016, the Blue Devils escaped with an exciting 74-63 upset win.

Here is Duke's 2018-19 schedule as we know it:

Nov. 11: at Northwestern

Nov. 15: at Maine

Nov. 18: vs. Elon

Nov. 23-25: Gulf Coast Classic (in Estero, Fla.)

Nov. 28: at Wisconsin (ACC/Big 10 Challenge)

Dec. 2: vs. Marist

Dec. 6: vs. UNLV

Dec. 9: vs. South Carolina

Dec. 20: at Oregon State

Dec. 28: vs. East Carolina

Dec. 30: vs. Florida Gulf Coast

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