Country music star Darius Rucker was brimming with tears of joy when a longtime passion served the singer with a glorious victory! A University of South Carolina alumni, Rucker has kept the Gamecocks near and dear to his heart despite his distant college days and the underdog status that looms over the college’s astounding basketball team. Amidst the heated NCAA March Madness, the Gamecocks have surpassed formerly limited expectations and, for the first time in USC history, snagged a golden ticket to the tournament’s Final Four with their Sunday’s 70-77 victory!
Rucker was overcome with emotion as he lived up his court side experience with his son Jack, basking in the team’s coveted win! “I’ve been telling all of my friends that being in [Madison Square Garden] watching the Gamecocks play in the Elite Eight, that’s pretty unbelievable,” the country star told Yahoo Sports. A clip of the emotional singer made its rounds through social media, showcasing an overwhelmed Rucker with his fist in the air amongst fellow USC alumni and students.
He’s such a baby the Gamecocks make him cry. pic.twitter.com/5IjCvZRIVn
— Kevin Kaduk (@KevinKaduk) March 26, 2017
It’s no surprise USC holds such a profound meaning for the singer, as his scholastic patriotism perhaps stems from the fact that his former band, Hootie and the Blowfish, was orchestrated during his Gamecock days. USC basketball coach Frank Martin admitted, “Everyone knows Darius, but to see how important this school is to him, as successful as he is in life, just continues to show me what special people we have supporting our university.”
As if his vocal support and allegiance isn’t enough, Rucker’s Friday performance directly overlapped with the Gamecock’s Elite Eight game, prompting the singer to, quite literally, bring the event to the stage as he discretely placed live-streaming monitors to track the score! Talk about a dedicated fan! How confident are you in the Gamecock’s chance at victory?