As the beginning of basketball season draws near, the men's and women's teams will come together for the second annual Gamecock Tipoff event on Friday, Oct. 18. The event will be held on Hampton Street and Boyd Plaza.
This year’s Gamecock Tipoff will include autograph sessions for both teams, food and games for everyone who attends, according to a press release.
The venue is an 18-minute walk or five-minute drive from Russell House.
The South Carolina men’s team looks to take the next step after a 16-16 record last year and a fifth-place finish in the Southeastern Conference. The Gamecocks are looking to recreate the magic from their 2017 run to the Final Four and hope to push for a birth to the NCAA March Madness tournament at the end of the season.
“There’s a buzz right now, and I feel it anywhere I go. I've talked to our team about it, they feel it on campus.” head coach Frank Martin said on 107.5 The Game.
The women’s team, the co-headliner of the event, is positioned for a run at its seventh-straight NCAA tournament Sweet 16. Head coach Dawn Staley will be entering her 12th season at the helm.
The South Carolina women's team will be showing off its No. 1 ranked recruiting class in the country. The recruiting class includes four five-star players.
Many students said they are looking forward to the upcoming men's and women's basketball seasons and tipoff event.
First-year international business student Andrew Krznarich said the returning players were what made him excited about the new season.
“I think we can definitely make the tournament for both teams and have pretty good chance of having some good success this year," Krznarich said.
The teams will play a combined 34 regular season games, 18 men’s and 16 women’s, in Colonial Life Arena this season.
The Gamecock Tipoff is Friday, Oct. 18 at 6:30 p.m. Admission is free.
The women’s team opens regular season play Nov. 5 at home against Alabama State, and the men's team plays North Alabama Nov. 6 at home.