Gamecocks secure No. 1 seed in NIT

South Carolina is a No. 1 seed in the NIT postseason men’s basketball tournament.

USC (24-8) will High Point (21-10) at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the first round of the NIT. The game will air on ESPNU.

Georgia Tech or Houston would be USC’s second-round opponent, should it get past the Panthers.

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South Carolina’s appearance in the NIT is its 12th all-time, and the first since 2009. South Carolina owns an all-time record of 21-9 in the NIT and has won the event twice (2005, 2006) and finished as the tournament’s runner-up in 2002.

Tuesday’s meeting marks the first all-time between the Gamecocks and Panthers. High Point claimed a share of the 2015-16 Big South regular-season title and became one of just three programs ever to win four-straight Big South regular-season championships. The Panthers are led by former Gamecock assistant, Scott Cherry, in his seventh season.

The Gamecocks are one of four No. 1 seeds, joined on the line by Monmouth, St. Bonaventure and Valparaiso.

First-round games will be played March 15 and 16, second-round action will be March 17-21 and the quarterfinals on March 22-23 at campus sites. The semifinals and NIT finals will be held at Madison Square Garden, March 29-31.

Tickets for the NIT are on sale for $15 with all seating general admission. Student tickets are available for $4. Gamecock Club members and Gamecock season ticket holders should keep an eye on their email for ticket information.

This story was originally published March 13, 2016 at 8:53 PM with the headline "Gamecocks secure No. 1 seed in NIT."