South Carolina a top seed in NIT, will host High Point in first round

The South Carolina Gamecocks have accepted an invite to the NIT and will be one of the tournament's top four seeds by virtue of their First Four Out status in the NCAA Tournament. The Gamecocks will host the High Point Panthers at Colonial Life Arena in the NIT's first round, Tuesday at 7pm on ESPNU.

This will be the Gamecocks' 11th appearance in the NIT and their first since 2009, when, as a third seed, they fell to Stephen Curry and the sixth-seeded Davidson Wildcats 70-63 in Columbia. Curry scored 32 points in what would turn out to be the second-to-last game of his college career; the Wildcats succumbed to second-seeded Saint Mary's, 80-68, six days later. The Gamecocks have won two NIT championships (2005 and 2006) while appearing in the 2002 championship game.

South Carolina will hold home-court advantage throughout the tournament through the quarterfinals as a #1 seed. However, the Gamecock women are projected to receive a #1 seed in tomorrow's selection show and earn the right to host the first two rounds of the tournament from March 18-21. A potential second round NIT contest for the Gamecocks would fall within the March 17-21 window; South Carolina AD Ray Tanner has stated that the university would attempt to work around the conflict provided the men advance to the second round.