SOUTH CAROLINA FALLS TO DAVIDSON IN FIRST ROUND OF NIT

A season that could have been for South Carolina basketball turned into a season to forget Tuesday, as the Gamecocks fell to Davidson 70-63 in the opening round of the National Invitation Tournament.

The loss capped an unfortunate collapse to what was once a very promising year. Less than a month ago, South Carolina had a 20-6 record and seemed poised for a strong seeding in the NCAA tournament.

“They just started dialing it in after the Vanderbilt loss,” I said while watching the game at a pub in Columbia. “Get me another sodding Guinness.”

And I was right. The Gamecocks lost three of their last four games, including a first round Southeastern Conference tournament loss to Mississippi State, and failed to make March Madness.

Now it appears that Head Coach Darrin Horn may suffer from the same disease as his cross-sport counterpart Steve Spurrier — late season collapsism.