South Carolina will have to wait for a few more days to open its SEC schedule.

The SEC announced today the Gamecocks' conference opener Dec. 29 against Kentucky is postponed due to a combination of "positive tests, contact tracing and subsequent quarantining of individuals within the South Carolina basketball program, consistent with Southeastern Conference COVID-19 management requirements."

This is the fifth either cancelation or postponement South Carolina's dealt with since returning from Houston on Dec. 5.

Since then the Gamecocks have had three cancelation—Wofford, George Washington and SC State—and postponements of the Clemson and now Kentucky's game.

The Gamecocks returned to practice briefly Saturday, only to be shut down again Monday night, subsequently canceling Wednesday's game against SC State and now the opener.

South Carolina's next scheduled game is Jan. 2 against Florida A&M with the new conference opener Jan. 6 against Texas A&M.