‘Midnight Madness’ coming to Gamecock men’s and women’s basketball

South Carolina men’s and women’s basketball teams will host their first Gamecock Tipoff event on Oct. 5, they announced Wednesday.

The event at Colonial Life Arena will be free and open to fans and will feature team meet-and-greets, autograph sessions, contests with prizes and the opportunity to “watch the Gamecocks showcase their skills on the court,” according to an athletic department news release.

The exact time of the event was not announced, but it will take place in early October, which is typically associated with “Midnight Madness” events. What started as a simple practice open to the public at Maryland in the 1970s has become known for flashy, fan-friendly events — rapper Drake made an appearance at Kentucky’s “Big Blue Madness” event in 2017, and Syracuse has brought back alums like Carmelo Anthony in the past.

USC has hosted Midnight Madness events in the past but has not done so recently. Kansas will kick off its season on Sept. 28, Kentucky is set to host its event this season a week later on Oct. 12 and Duke is a week after on Oct. 19.

This story was originally published September 12, 2018 at 11:49 AM.