March 8, 2009

COLUMBIA, S.C. –
With Tennessee’s loss to Alabama on Sunday, the University of South Carolina men’s basketball team shares the title of SEC Eastern Division Co-Champions along with Tennessee. Both squads finished the SEC regular season with a 10-6 record in league play. The share of the title marks just the second time that the Gamecocks have earned an Eastern Division title, as the 1997 squad earned the first in South Carolina history.

By virtue of tiebreaker rules, Tennessee has earned the No. 1 seed in the SEC East in the upcoming SEC Tournament, as the Vols swept the season series with Carolina. The Gamecocks have earned the No. 2 seed in the SEC East and have received a bye in the first round of the tournament in Tampa.

The 2009 SEC Tournament will be held at the St. Pete Times Forum, March 12-15. The Gamecocks will play the winner of the Georgia (East No. 6) versus Mississippi State (West No. 3) contest on Friday afternoon at 3:15 p.m. The contest will be televised live on Raycom Sports. South Carolina defeated Georgia twice this season and lost its lone contest against Mississippi State from the West.

The Gamecocks have earned their highest seed in the SEC Tournament since also earning the No. 2 seed in the 1998 event. South Carolina owns a 0-1 record against Georgia in SEC Tournament play, while also holding a 2-0 mark against Mississippi State in the postseason event.

South Carolina was 1-1 last season in the SEC Tournament, defeating LSU in the first round, 77-73, before falling to Tennessee, 87-89, in the second round.