The South Carolina Gamecocks upset Florida in the Elite Eight last night, 77 to 70. It's the first time South Carolina's ever made the Final Four. Sorry about your bracket . . . but it was probably busted already, right?
Anyway, that's where DARIUS RUCKER went to school, so he watched the game at Madison Square Garden . . . and he got pretty emotional. There's video of him watching the win, and he's just speechless with tears in his eyes.
After the game he said, quote, "I got some guys I went to college with, and we were like, 'Man, we're in the Garden, watching the Gamecocks play to go to the Final Four.' If you had told me that ten years ago, I would've told you you were on crack."
The Gamecocks play Gonzaga on Saturday in Phoenix, and Darius says he might skip the ACMs to watch. But it shouldn't be a problem, since the ACMs are Sunday in Vegas. Still, here's how much of a hardcore fan he is . . .
He wasn't there for Friday's win over Baylor because he and the guys from HOOTIE AND THE BLOWFISH played in Charleston . . . with two TVs facing them on stage, so they could still watch during the show.
Speaking of Darius, he'll be part of the new Madame Tussauds in Nashville next month. And he said having his own wax figure makes him feel as if he's truly made it to the next level as an artist.