Clemson, Furman NIT-bound while Gamecocks miss postseason

Clemson and Furman have been invited to the National Invitational Tournament, but the Gamecocks’ season has come to a close, missing out on the postseason for the second year in a row.

The Tigers and Paladins are each matched up in the same bracket and could possibly face off in the second round of the 32 team event for the right to move one step closer to the semifinals and finals, which will take place at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Clemson is a two-seed, hosting regular season Horizon League champion, seven-seed Wright State. The latter is where CU head coach Brad Brownell previously coached at for four seasons before taking the Tigers’ job before the 2010-11 campaign. The Tigers will host the Raiders at LittleJohn Coliseum Tuesday at 7 p.m.

The winner will face the victor of three-seed Furman and six-seed Wichita State, set to be played at the same time Tuesday night on the Paladins’ campus in Greenville.

Clemson is joined by fellow No. 2 North Carolina State from the SEC, while UNC-Greensboro is the overall one seed coming out of the Southern Conference with Furman.

One-seed Alabama and five-seed Arkansas represent the SEC in the NIT.

The Gamecocks’ season, and the collegiate careers of seniors Chris Silva, Hassani Gravett, and Tre Campbell, end with a record of 16-16.