March 28, 2006

New York City, N.Y. – USC and Louisville took a break from preparations for tonight’s NIT semi-final match-up (Tues., March 28 at 9 pm on ESPN2) to ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange this morning.

If you missed it at 9:30 am, don’t worry: about 120 million other people saw it including an international audience on CSNBC.

Ringing the bell for USC were head coach Dave Odom, assistant coach Ken Potosnak and guards Stephen McDowell and Bryce Sheldon. In addition to USC, coaches and players from Old Dominion and Louisville, staff from the NIT and NCAA was also on hand to help with the opening bell.

“Riding over to the Stock Exchange in a limousine with Coach Odom and Coach Pitino, meeting the president of the Stock Exchange and ringing the ball – all one in a lifetime experiences,” said Sheldon.

USC had a 10 am wake-up call for the rest of the team and then ate breakfast at 10:30 am at the Marriott Marquis (in Times Square), actually right next to Louisville’s breakfast room.

USC met and will head over to Madison Square Garden for a 1 pm shoot around. Afterwards the Gamecocks will have a study session in the their rooms and then meet at 5:15 for the devotion, pre-game meal and a strategy session with the coaches for the match-up with Louisville.