For the first time since 2004, the South Carolina Gamecocks are headed to the NCAA Tournament. They are a 7 seed in the East region and will open against the Marquette Golden Eagles on Friday at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville.
Despite losing six of their last nine after a 16-1 start to the 2016-17 season, the selection committee awarded Carolina one of 68 bids in the Big Dance. Their best win was a 57-53 win over Florida on January 18. Their non-conference win over Michigan on November 23 lost a little significance later in the season, but wins over nationally-ranked Wisconsin and Purdue, coupled with a solid Big Ten Tournament run, raised the Wolverines’ RPI and benefited the Gamecocks down the stretch.