Great day, tough finish

Except for an agonizing overtime loss in the championship match, the University of South Carolina dominated competition Saturday at the inaugural Big E Memorial Invitational.

The Gamecocks fielded three 7s sides along with an alumni squad, Team Big E, and delivered standout performances across all divisions.

USC-B and USC-C claimed first and second place, respectively, in the 7s developmental bracket, while the developmental 15s team cruised to a commanding 52–0 victory over NC State.

South Carolina’s top 7s squad was equally impressive in pool play, shutting out Alabama (19–0), Auburn (17–0), and Virginia Tech (26–0) to advance to the championship match against Wingate, a varsity program.

The final proved to be a battle. Both teams were deadlocked at 19–19 at the end of regulation before Wingate broke through with a try three minutes into overtime to secure the win.

Despite the narrow loss, the Gamecocks continue to build a strong resume. The 7s team now holds a 19–8–1 record, with seven of those losses coming against varsity-level opponents.

South Carolina will look to carry that momentum forward at the SCRC 7s Championship Tournament on April 11 in Greer, South Carolina.

View all the tournament games