DANIEL ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) — The college basketball season kicked off in the Lowcountry on Sunday as Credit One Stadium hosted the inaugural TheLinkU Invitational, featuring five teams in an outdoor tripleheader. For this event, crews installed a temporary hardwood floor over the stadium’s green clay tennis courts.

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The tripleheader began with Virginia facing Vanderbilt, followed by a game between the College of Charleston and The Citadel, and concluded with the South Carolina women’s team playing the Cougars. Fans attended from across the Lowcountry and beyond to witness the matches.

Spectator Jared expressed his excitement, stating, "I just came out here to watch some good basketball. Hopefully these teams will be top 25 teams and just kind of get to see what the season is going to be for them." Another fan, Kyle, shared a similar sentiment, saying he came to enjoy basketball on a pleasant Sunday.

Betsy Sidebottom, who had family ties to both opening-game schools, said, "My husband is from Charlottesville, and he went to UVA. And my dad and both my sisters went to Vanderbilt. So we’re supporting UVA and Vanderbilt in Charleston." She brought her children along, noting, "I love watching sports and supporting my team. They’re both supposed to be good teams. So, I’m excited to see how it goes."

The event also featured a halftime performance by the Summerall Guard, a 61-member silent precision military drill platoon from The Citadel. Jace Kraftchick, a Citadel student and member of the guard, remarked on the significance of the event, saying, "Yeah, this is the biggest venue we’ve done. Thousands of people. So, I think we’re all excited and nervous. But it’s beautiful."

Fellow Summerall Guard member Samuel Eich shared his enthusiasm, stating, "We’ve been practicing a lot. ... I believe this will be the biggest performance we’ve done so far. So, I’m really excited." He emphasized their confidence due to extensive preparation leading up to the event.

Looking to the future, Jared expressed his hope that the event would become an annual occurrence, describing it as a unique addition to the region's events. Although the first outdoor tournament at Credit One Stadium was memorable, college basketball games have previously been played outdoors in the Lowcountry, notably during the Carrier Classic involving Notre Dame, Ohio State, and Marquette in 2012 on the USS Yorktown.