USC men will play Syracuse in Brooklyn in 2016

Frank Martin’s preference for scheduling big-name games in big-name places will continue for a fifth year.

Sources at South Carolina on Monday confirmed a report from CBS’ Jon Rothstein last week that the Gamecocks will play Syracuse at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center in December 2016. A date hasn’t been set but the Gamecocks will again travel for a made-for-TV game.

USC has taken a trip for a “big TV game” in each of Martin’s seasons. The Gamecocks played at St. John’s and against Manhattan at Barclays in his first year; at Baylor and Oklahoma State his second; against Iowa State at Barclays his third; and will play St. John’s at the Mohegan Sun Casino this year. Barclays Center has been good to USC, the Gamecocks winning each game they’ve played there.

With USC expected to have a breakthrough season and Syracuse being New York’s college team, the game should be another TV matchup. The Gamecocks will have a chance to face Hall-of-Famer Jim Boeheim before he retires. Boeheim, who has been at Syracuse in some fashion since 1962, announced in March that he would retire after three more seasons.