Men’s Basketball to Face South Carolina in Exhibition Game This Sunday

The Newberry Wolves men’s basketball team will open its 2016-2017 season with an exhibition game against the University of South Carolina on Sunday, Nov. 6 at 4:30 p.m. in the Colonial Life Arena in Columbia.

Newberry enters the contest against the Gamecocks seeking a two-game winning streak in exhibition games after a 101-89 win at Marshall on Nov. 15, 2015. The matchup in Columbia will be the first of two exhibition games for the Wolves this season, with a trip to face UNC Charlotte coming on Nov. 11.

"Inviting and allowing Newberry College Basketball to come to Colonial Life Arena for a game is so special for us small college guys. From day one on the job, Frank Martin has reached out to help fellow coaches regardless of the level and works tirelessly to make his program great," said Davis. "The challenge for us at South Carolina will be enormous, especially with so many new guys on our team this year, but the experience of getting to play against the SEC will be a lifelong memory for all of us, regardless of the outcome."

Newberry finished 18-12 overall and 12-10 in the South Atlantic Conference a season ago. The Wolves reached the SAC Tournament as the fifth seed, defeating Lenoir-Rhyne 98-90 in the quarterfinals, before falling to top-seeded Lincoln Memorial 105-81 in the semifinals. Newberry will return 13 letterwinners next season.

Fifth-year head coach Frank Martin is at the helm of a Gamecocks' squad that finished 25-9 overall and 11-7 in the Southeastern Conference last year. USC was widely considered to be among the "first teams out" of last season's NCAA Tournament, winning its first contest in the National Invitation Tournament before seeing its season come to a close against Georgia Tech.