Packed house: South Carolina’s basketball game with No. 1 Tennessee is sold out
The only time South Carolina beat college basketball’s No. 1-ranked team, a sold-out crowd of 18,000 was in Colonial Life Arena to see it.
Is history about to repeat itself?
USC announced Monday that there are no tickets remaining for Tuesday’s game with No. 1 Tennessee. This marks just the 15th sellout since CLA opened for the 2002-03 season. It’s the first sellout since Jan. 20, 2018, when the No. 21 Volunteers were in town to play the Gamecocks.
CLA was packed on Jan. 26, 2010, when Devan Downey scored 30 points to lead USC over top-ranked Kentucky. The Gamecocks are 1-12 all-time against No. 1s.
Carolina’s last two home games have produced its best crowds of the season. The 85-75 win over Missouri came in front of 12,747 on Jan. 13. Nine days later, 13,857 were on hand for the upset of then-No. 16 Auburn.
“Over the first five years, we created a home-court environment,” seventh-year USC coach Frank Martin said Monday. “That’s why our team became such a good team. That’s why our team has won home games.
“It was good to see the fans out there early and be loud and aggressive against Auburn. I hope they do the same thing (Tuesday). We need to play well, obviously, and we need every break and every ounce of energy from everybody to help our guys out.”
