SEC Releases 2016 Men’s Basketball League Schedule

Aug. 19, 2015

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Southeastern Conference released its men’s basketball league schedule for the 2016 campaign on Wednesday evening on SEC Now on the SEC Network. The schedule, which features an 18-game lineup, will see each of Carolina’s games broadcast with the possibility of six contests on the ESPN family of networks and 13 on the SEC Network. All of the games will be available to be seen from anywhere in the nation.

The Gamecocks will host nine matchups at Colonial Life Arena, with games versus Final Four participant Kentucky, NCAA Tournament teams LSU and Georgia, NIT participants Vanderbilt and Alabama, as well as Missouri, Mississippi State, Florida and Tennessee.

The SEC released earlier this year a new scheduling model for men’s basketball that features three permanent opponents. The Gamecocks’ permanent opponents beginning in 2016 are Georgia, Tennessee and Mississippi State. Carolina will face those teams both at home and on the road, and in 2016, will also face Missouri and Alabama in home-and-home series, while playing the remaining league teams once.

The Gamecocks begin conference play on the road at Auburn (Tue., Jan. 5, 7 p.m, SEC Network), before returning to Colonial Life Arena to host Vanderbilt (Sat., Jan. 9, 3 p.m., ESPNU) in the league home opener. The following week, Carolina travels to Alabama (Wed., Jan. 13, 9 p.m., SEC Network) for a mid-week matchup with the Crimson Tide, and returns home to host Missouri (Sat., Jan. 16, 1 p.m., SEC Network) for a Saturday matinee. Both the Commodores and Crimson Tide advanced to the NIT last postseason.

Next, South Carolina travels for a pair of games, first to NCAA Tournament participant Ole Miss (Tue., Jan. 19, 7 p.m., SEC Network) and then to Tennessee (Sat., Jan. 23, Noon, SEC Network), for the first of two matchups versus the Vols in 2016. Mississippi State (Tue., Jan. 26, 7 p.m., SEC Network) and Alabama (Sat., Jan. 30, 6 p.m., SEC Network) visit Columbia to conclude the first month of league action.

The Gamecocks open February with four straight games versus postseason teams from a season ago, with three of the first five contests on the road, including matchups at NCAA participant Georgia (Tue., Feb. 2, 7 p.m. ESPN/U/SEC Network) and NIT participant Texas A&M (Sat., Feb. 6, 4 p.m., ESPNU). South Carolina returns to Columbia to host LSU (Wed., Feb. 10, 7 p.m., ESPN2) and Kentucky (Sat., Feb. 13, Noon, ESPN/2), both teams that advanced to the NCAA Tournament last season, with the Wildcats advancing to the Final Four.

The Gamecocks make the return trip to Missouri (Tue., Feb. 16, 7 p.m., SEC Network), before a set of home matchups versus Florida (Sat., Feb. 20, Noon, SEC Network) and Tennessee (Wed., Feb. 24, 9 p.m., SEC Network). Carolina will play two of its final three regular-season games on the road, first traveling to Mississippi State (Sat., Feb. 27, 2:30 p.m., SEC Network), before a Senior Night matchup against Georgia (Thur., March 3, 7 p.m., ESPN/2) in Columbia. The regular season concludes with a trip to face Arkansas (Sat., March 5, 5 p.m., SEC Network), before SEC Tournament action begins in Nashville.

The SEC’s games on ESPN platforms are exclusively branded as the “SEC on ESPN.” All of the games included in the ESPN package (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and SEC Network) will be available through WatchESPN, accessible online at WatchESPN.com, on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app, and streamed on televisions through Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Xbox 360 or Xbox One to fans who receive their video subscription from an affiliated provider.

The SEC Network will televise the first three days of the SEC Basketball Tournament (March 9-13) from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn. The semifinals and championship game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.

Season ticket prices for the upcoming season remain unchanged, with full season packages starting at $90. Like last season, fans can purchase lower level season tickets for $260 (Gamecock Club membership required for sections 104-106, 113-115), the Coke Family Sections are available for $600 (four tickets) and upper level tickets are available for $200 (no Gamecock Club membership required). End zone seating in the upper level is priced at four seats for $360. University Faculty/Staff members receive a 20% discount on lower level and upper level ticket prices.

To place a deposit for season tickets, fans are encouraged to visit Gamecocksonline.com/Tickets, or call 1-800-4SC-FANS.

Below is South Carolina’s 2016 SEC schedule:

Tue., Jan. 5, at Auburn, 7 p.m., SEC Network
Sat., Jan. 9, Vanderbilt, 3 p.m., ESPNU
Wed., Jan. 13, at Alabama, 9 p.m., SEC Network
Sat., Jan. 16, Missouri, 1 p.m., SEC Network
Tue. Jan. 19, at Ole Miss, 7 p.m., SEC Network
Sat., Jan. 23, at Tennessee, Noon, SEC Network
Tue., Jan. 26, Mississippi State, 7 p.m., SEC Network
Sat., Jan. 30, Alabama, 6 p.m., SEC Network
Tue., Feb. 2, at Georgia, 7 p.m., ESPN/U/SEC Network
Sat., Feb. 6, at Texas A&M, 4 p.m., ESPNU
Wed., Feb. 10, LSU, 7 p.m., ESPN2
Sat., Feb. 13, Kentucky, Noon, ESPN/2
Tue., Feb. 16, at Missouri, 7 p.m., SEC Network
Sat., Feb. 20, Florida, Noon, SEC Network
Wed., Feb. 24, Tennessee, 9 p.m., SEC Network
Sat., Feb. 27, at Mississippi State, 2:30, SEC Network
Thurs., March 3, Georgia, 7 p.m., ESPN/2
Sat., March 5, at Arkansas, 5 p.m., SEC Network