The South Carolina Gamecocks had an incredible 2015-16 season, going 24-8 and even finding themselves ranked in the top ten for sometime throughout the year. However, their record was apparently not good enough to earn them a bid to the NCAA Tournament.
The team fell in the first round of the NIT and were left wondering what could have been had they been given a spot in the Big Dance, especially with the Vanderbilt Commodores, who finished the year 19-13, making the tournament over the Gamecocks.
This left many puzzled as they believed the Gamecocks were much more deserving of the spot.
According to a story published in the New Orleans Times-Picayune, South Carolina had actually been informed of them making the NCAA Tournament. In fact, they had started making travel plans, before not getting a return call from the selection committee.
“South Carolina never got the return call. Vandy got the NCAA bid and then promptly lost by 20 points to Wichita State in one of the tourney’s First Four games in Dayton.”
The Gamecocks haven’t made the NCAA Tournament since 2004 and this year looked like their best chance of getting back to the Big Dance. However, they don’t lose much for the 2016-17 season, so I guess it is just better luck next year for the Gamecocks.
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*Featured Photo (above) credit to USA TODAY Sports
