COLUMBIA, S.C. - South Carolina plans to open its new coliseum twice. <br>
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The Gamecocks will play their first game inside the new 18,000-seat Carolina Center on Nov. 24 against East Tennessee State, coach Dave Odom says. <br>
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Then the team will dedicate the coliseum with a game Dec. 1 or 2 against a high-profile opponent Odom would not identify. <br>
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Odom also is still working to play earlier than Nov. 24 by playing host to an exempt event. The NCAA is currently in court fighting a challenge of its policy restricting teams to two exempt events every four years. <br>
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The Gamecocks trip to Hawaii last year and a scheduled tournament in Alaska next season are counted as exempt events. <br>
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School officials decided on a Nov. 24 opening date because they did not want to open the new building on the Friday or Saturday of the Nov. 23 South Carolina-Clemson football game. They also wanted students on campus, which eliminated days around Thanksgiving. <br>
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Construction for the arena is on schedule, and the university expects to take occupancy in early to mid-November, athletic spokesman Kerry Tharp said. <br>
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The Gamecocks will play exhibitions this year will be played in the Carolina Coliseum.
