June 1, 2012

COLUMBIA, S.C. –
The University of South Carolina will travel to St. John’s in the 2012 SEC/Big East Challenge next season, it was announced on Friday. The Gamecocks will travel to face the Red Storm on Nov. 29. ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU will combine to televise all 12 games of the three-day event. Times and network designations will be released at a later date.

The Gamecocks have faced St. John’s on three previous occasions with the Red Storm holding a 3-0 advantage in the series. The 2012 matchup will mark the first between the two schools since the 1975-76 campaign.

Below is the series breakdown between the two schools:
Dec. 30, 1972 (Holiday Festival Tournament, New York, N.Y.), St. John’s win, 86-79
Dec. 27, 1974 (ECAC Ocean State Classic, Providence, R.I.), St. John’s win, 78-77 (OT)
Dec. 27, 1975 (ECAC Holiday Festival Tournament, New York, N.Y.), St. John’s win, 71-59

This is the sixth year that the SEC and Big East have played each other as a part of an in-season event. Previously known as the SEC/Big East Invitational, the first four years of the event (2007-2010) featured four matchups between the two conferences from two neutral sites. The 12-team event was titled the Big East/SEC Challenge in 2011.

2012 SEC/BIG EAST CHALLENGE (times and networks are to be determined)
Thursday, November 29, 2012
South Carolina at St. John’s
Seton Hall at LSU
Kentucky at Notre Dame
Marquette at Florida

Friday, November 30, 2012
Georgia at South Florida
DePaul at Auburn
Tennessee at Georgetown
Syracuse at Arkansas

Saturday, December 1, 2012
Mississippi State at Providence
Rutgers at Ole Miss
Alabama at Cincinnati
Villanova at Vanderbilt