South Carolina coach Frank Martin discusses Marquette matchup
Those who look at Marquette's three years outside of the NCAA Tournament as a long layoff might want to look at South Carolina's postseason history. With their inclusion in this season's tournament as the No. 7 seed in the East Regional, the Gamecocks reached the Big Dance for just the fifth time in 43 years, ending a 12-year NCAA Tournament drought.
Heading into Friday's clash with Marquette, a game that will tip at approximately 8:50 p.m. at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, S.C., the Gamecocks haven't won an NCAA Tournament game since 1972-'73. That victory came under head coach Frank McGuire, who was not related to legendary Marquette coach Al McGuire but coached both Al and his brother Dick at St. John's.
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South Carolina's trip to this year's tournament is its first under coach Frank Martin, who is in his fifth season with the Gamecocks. Last season, South Carolina compiled a 24-8 record but fell short of the NCAA Tournament, settling for a No. 1 seed in the NIT instead.
Martin met with local media on Sunday evening to discuss his team's inclusion in the NCAA Tournament. During that session, he mentioned his friendship with Marquette coach Steve Wojciechowski, his ties to Marquette's program, his thoughts on this year's Golden Eagles, the inspiration he received from watching Al McGuire coach, Marquette's tradition and much more.
Highlights included the following quote:
"As long as Butch Lee don't show up to play for them I'll be OK. If Lee shows up we might have a problem then."
You can watch the full interview below: