South Carolina basketball's NIT future decided
This week, there has been more talk about the South Carolina basketball team than most would expect from a 12-20 team bounced out of the first round of the SEC Tournament. Thanks to a rule change this offseason, the SEC is set to receive two automatic bids to the NIT, and because of the conference’s historical acceptance to the NCAA Tournament, that meant that the Gamecocks had a potential postseason future after all.
On Sunday evening, news broke regarding that potential postseason future. According to a statement from South Carolina basketball coach Lamont Paris, his team received an invitation to the tournament. However, the statement also said that the Gamecocks declined the invitation. In the statement, Paris cited “attrition on our roster with injuries” as the primary reason behind the decision.
South Carolina basketball would have been eligible to host a first-round game in the NIT had they accepted.
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The team’s decision to opt out of further games comes with a bit of a silver lining for the fanbase. USC head coach Lamont Paris and his staff will get a head start on their efforts in the transfer portal. The portal opens officially on Monday, March 24th. That date is right in the middle of the NIT. With the Gamecocks’ need for roster augmentations this offseason, any help in that regard is a good thing.
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Seniors Jamarii Thomas, Jacobi Wright, and Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk are out of eligibility. Fellow senior Nick Pringle could return for another season because of the NCAA’s new stance on former junior college athletes. Myles Stute is petitioning the NCAA for an extra year to play, too, as he missed more than half of the year dealing with a blood clot in his leg. All-SEC forward Collin Murray-Boyles’ career could be over, as well, as he appears destined to be a first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
With the NIT no longer in South Carolina’s future, fans can next watch the Gamecocks in game action in November.
