Gamecocks get recognized in ‘One Shining Moment’

The South Carolina men’s basketball team had a season to remember, filled with unforgettable moments.

The Gamecocks’ run in the NCAA Tournament meant they were included in “One Shining Moment.”

Although USC didn’t play in Monday night’s NCAA Tournament championship game, falling to Gonzaga in the Final Four, the Gamecocks were featured prominently in CBS’ musical montage, which is often as greatly anticipated as the title game.

The Gamecocks were featured six times in the highlight package. The first showed an embrace between coach Frank Martin and center Chris Silva.

That was soon followed by celebratory reactions from Rakym Felder, Silvan and Sindarius Thornwell and the entire team celebrating in the locker room after the upset win over Duke.

The other highlights were from the Final Four showdown with Gonzaga, which the Bulldogs won 77-73. Gonzaga came up short in the national title game, losing to North Carolina, 71-65.

The highlights for USC didn’t stop with the end of postgame show. The Gamecocks were also included in a spoof of the song on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.”

Singing “One Average Moment” with former “Saturday Night Live” performer Jason Sudeikis, one of the Palmetto State’s most famous sons included plays from USC games in the NCAA Tournament. One verse in the song even culminated with the comedians singing “South Carolina’s mascot is a giant gamecock!”

If that wasn’t enough, Colbert opened his monologue by recognizing the South Carolina women’s basketball team, which won the national championship on Sunday night.

“I just want to start out by saying congratulations to the University of South Carolina women’s basketball team who last night won the national championship. Good for you, give it up for the female Gamecocks, everybody. Go Gamecocks I like to say,” the South Carolina native said, before following with a blue joke involving USC’s nickname.

This story was originally published April 4, 2017 at 1:24 AM with the headline "Gamecocks get recognized in ‘One Shining Moment’."