USC basketball coach Darrin Horn confirmed Monday that his team is only interested in the NCAA tournament or the NIT and will not accept a bid to the CBI or any other postseason tournament should they receive an invitation. The Gamecocks are 15-15 heading into Thursday’s SEC Tournament in Nashville.
Darrin Horn says his team is only interested in two postseason tournaments
The latest NIT projections have USC as an 8 seed in the 32 team NIT field. According to the projection the Gamecocks would open the tournament at UConn. Coastal Carolina, a team guaranteed a spot in the NIT because of its Big South regular season title, is also projected as an 8 seed.
The College Basketball Invitational, or CBI, was created two years ago. Last year Oregon State was the champion. The College of Charleston was also in last year’s tournament field.
In years past you had to have a .500 or better record to be eligible for the NIT. That is no longer a requirement,although with the automatic bids it is difficult, if not impossible, to get in with a losing record. If the Gamecocks go 1-1 in the SEC tournament you have to like their chances of receiving an NIT bid.
Carolina will play Alabama in the first round of the tournament. The Crimson Tide beat USC last week in Columbia, but they are a team the Gamecocks can match up with. Should USC beat Bama, they will get top seed Kentucky in on Friday at 1:00.
Darrin Horn previews SEC Tournament
The College Basketball Invitational, or CBI, was created two years ago. Last year Oregon State was the champion. The College of Charleston was also in last year’s tournament field.
