Beginning today, the South Carolina men's basketball team will open up a series of four games in just six days.
This week is far and away the most condensed stretch of the schedule for head coach Frank Martin's team, and the Gamecocks will dive into it with just one game under their belts so far.
Tuesday's noon contest will see South Carolina take on Baylor, a team that narrowly missed out on the top-25 in both AP Top 25 and the Coaches Poll. The game is part of ESPN's College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon, a programming block that features 24-consecutive hours of basketball.
The Gamecocks were featured in the marathon last year as well — a 66-64 loss to the same Baylor team they'll face today. And according to Martin, it's all about exposure.
"I don't remember South Carolina being talked about in college basketball, in November, in my 15 years in college basketball," he said. "That's why you do this. You have to get your fans excited."
The Gamecocks' near-upset of the Bears in last year's game perhaps gave South Carolina more early-season publicity than ever. With a more experienced team this season, the Gamecocks will have the unique opportunity of a second chance at a signature nonconference win.
"We realize that they've lost a couple key, good players, but at the same time they've gained a couple good players," sophomore guard Duane Notice said. "So we have to come in with the same mindset, a better mentality this year. And we're very anxious to play them because we feel like we owe them one."
Following today's contest, South Carolina will immediately head south for the Charleston Classic.
The team will have one day of rest before opening up the tournament against Cornell on Thursday. The very next day, depending on the results from the day before, the Gamecocks will face either Penn State or Charlotte.
The tournament will culminate in either a championship appearance or a consolation game for South Carolina Sunday.
The Charleston Classic is another ESPN-sponsored event, and all games can be seen live on WatchESPN. It's another opportunity for the Gamecocks to gain national exposure — evidenced by the dramatic monochromatic shot of Martin that's plastered across the event's website along with the other head coaches.
It's easy to see how four games in six days can be exhausting for a player, but the preparation leaves the coaches burnt out as well. Tournament's like the Classic aren't Martin's favorite thing in the world, but he knows it all comes with the territory.
"Everyone that's a part of it has a great time except the coaches," he said. "The coaches are miserable because we're kind of locked up in hotel rooms watching film if we're not on the court practicing or playing. But it's okay, we signed up for our jobs. We know what we've got to do, and we're lucky."