Elite women's college basketball returns to Uptown this weekend

State of play: This year's lineup features a doubleheader on Sunday, Nov. 8.

• No. 14 Kentucky plays No. 25 N.C. State at 3pm.

• No. 1 South Carolina faces No. 12 North Carolina at 5:30pm.

If you go: Tickets for this weekend start at $41.94. Your ticket is good for both games.

Catch up quick: The Ally Tipoff extended its run through 2028 last fall. Charlotte Sports Foundation, the event organizer, kicked off the regular season basketball matchup in 2023.

• Of the 15,196 people who attended the inaugural game between Iowa and Virginia Tech, several came to see Iowa star Caitlin Clark.

Yes, and: Elite women's basketball has long been on Charlotte's backyard with powerhouse South Carolina. But the Triangle has become a hotbed for women's college basketball since the pandemic, Axios' Zachery Eanes writes.

By the numbers: The inaugural game generated $2.5 million in economic impact, according to Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA) data.

• The 2024 doubleheader produced $2.7 million and last year's game generated $1.05 million.

What's next: Powerhouse South Carolina, the 2024 national champion, will return in 2027 and 2028, facing UConn and N.C. State respectively.