Aug. 9, 2004

Playing 10 teams that participated in the 2004 post-season – including five games against teams who played in the 2004 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16, the 2004-05 University of South Carolina men’s basketball schedule was released today. The times and complete television schedule will be released later this month.

Besides playing 16 games in one of the top conferences in the country – the Southeastern Conference – USC will play games against some of the country’s top conferences in the Big East, the Big 12, the Atlantic 10, the ACC and Conference USA.

USC adds road games against Kansas (Dec. 18) and Pittsburgh (Dec. 29) with both games featuring a home and home series (both will make return visits to Columbia).

“Obviously this schedule is more difficult than last year’s schedule. To be successful we will need the cooperative efforts of our team, the USC students and the fans. I am excited about the challenges this schedule presents and the continued growth of Gamecock basketball,” said USC Head Coach Dave Odom, the 2004 SEC Coach of the Year. “The SEC will continue to be one of the best, if not the best conferences in the country. And the non-conference schedule offers great balance in that we play two national powers on the road at Kansas and Pittsburgh; and we add home games from teams in high profiles conferences in Temple and Clemson. I’m excited that two great programs like Kansas and Pittsburgh have agreed to play a home and home series with USC.”

USC was 23-11 in 2003-04, made it the semi-finals of the SEC Tournament and lost to Memphis in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. USC averaged 12,045 fans last season, averaging almost 17,100 fans for its eight SEC games.

University of South Carolina 2004-05 Men’s Basketball Schedule

Date Opponent Location

Mon., Nov. 8 USC Upstate (exh.) Columbia, SC

Sun., Nov. 21 Western Carolina Columbia, SC

Wed., Nov. 24 Winthrop Columbia, SC

Sat., Nov. 27 Temple Columbia, SC

Wed., Dec. 1 Appalachian State Columbia, SC

Sat. Dec. 4 Clemson Columbia, SC

Tues., Dec. 14 South Florida Columbia, SC

Sat. Dec. 18 at Kansas Lawrence, KS

Mon., Dec. 20 vs. East Carolina (GMAC Bowl) Mobile, AL

Wed., Dec. 22 SC State Columbia, SC

Wed., Dec. 29 at Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA

Fri., Dec. 31 Wofford Columbia, SC

Wed., Jan. 5 at Kentucky * Lexington, KY

Sat., Jan. 8 Georgia * Columbia, SC

Wed., Jan. 12 at LSU * Baton Rouge, LA

Sat., Jan. 15 Tennessee * Columbia, SC

Sat., Jan. 22 at Mississippi State * Starkville, MS

Wed., Jan. 26 Vanderbilt * Columbia, SC

Sat. Jan. 29 at Florida * Gainesville, FL

Wed., Feb. 2 Arkansas * Columbia, SC

Sat. Feb. 5 at Georgia * Athens, GA

Sat., Feb. 12 Auburn * Columbia, SC

Tues., Feb. 15 Kentucky * Columbia, SC

Sat., Feb. 19 at Alabama * Tuscaloosa, AL

Wed., Feb. 23 at Tennessee * Knoxville, TN

Sun., Feb. 27 Florida * Columbia, SC

Wed., March 2 at Vanderbilt * Nashville, TN

Sun., March 6 Mississippi * Columbia, SC

March 10-13 SEC Tournament ^ Atlanta, GA

Times to be announced later this month – all regular season home games to be played at The Colonial Center.

* – SEC game; TV schedule TBA (waiting for SEC to release TV schedule)