The 2009-2010 college basketball season has come to an abrupt end for the University of South Carolina Gamecocks as the NIT looks past them and Coach Darrin Horn says ‘No’ to the lower tier postseason tournaments.
I hate to see the season that began with so much hope and speculation for a NCAA run end this way but it is almost a fitting yet cruel ending to what was the 09-10 Gamecocks season. The last six months had its’ ups and downs from beating the UK Wildcats to suffering season-ending injury to Dominique Archie and kicking Mike Holmes off the team. Seems disappointment was the flavor of choice for this team as the season grew on as a losing skid occurred that the Gamecocks could not stop concluding with a loss to Alabama in the SEC Tourney that should not have happened.
Not going to mention a curse but it sure seemed the 2009-2010 season was….as the Gamecocks had their chances in many games yet the ball did not bounce their way. I guess we will call it “growing pains” for the Horn program.
The Gamecocks finish the season 15-16.
Per the tradition of the NIT, they do not take a school with a losing record so no luck there as “it is what it is.” Coach Horn said a while back that the CBI and/or CBT are not a place for the boys in Garnet and Black. So no go there either so only choice is to turn the lights off the ‘09-10 season.
Luck was better for other Palmetto state schools as three will go dancing, one goes to the NIT and another goes to the CBI.
Clemson earned the No. 7 seed in the East bracket and will face Missouri on Friday in Buffalo, NY. The Southern Conference Champion Wofford Terriers, head to Jacksonville on Friday as a No. 13 seed in the East looking to upset Wisconsin.
And Winthrop, the Rock Hill-based school that won the Big South title to claim an automatic bid, will take on Arkansas Pine Bluff in Tuesday’s play-in game in Dayton, Ohio. If the Eagles win that game, they will travel to Jacksonville on Friday to play Duke.
Two other state teams that get some post-season action…. Coastal Carolina will play at UAB Tuesday night at 8:30 in an opening round game of the NIT. The Chanticleers are making their first ever NIT appearance. They are the #7 seed in their part of the bracket. The winner of the Coastal-UAB game will face either NC State or South Florida in the second round.
And The College of Charleston is in the College Basketball Invitational Tournament for the second year in a row. The Cougars (21-11) will play at Eastern Kentucky Wednesday night.
I hope they represent the State of South Carolina well and hope the Gamecocks build off this season to be in the mix next year. I truly feel this will be the low point of the Coach Horn era.
