2 plays for Monday

[double down]

Citadel -4....Bill & Mary is horrible. Citadel returns EVERYONE from a pretty decent club last year. They have a guard and forward that can bomb them in from long distances (Cantrell and Puckett)and take to the hole..this team will run the court..the only down point is that they are not very big. But, how big you got to be to beat an absolutely pathetic William and Mary team...I think this is easy.

Soth Carolina gets well tonight in a very big way....ETSU lost 3 starters..two of them guards who put 23 points up a game combined...tough to go into SEC arena and cause any problems when you don't have solid guard play...South Carolina will roll in this one.

 

[USC Gamecock]

FYI:

From today's paper...

Gamecock frontcourt not getting the points
By STEVE WISEMAN Staff Writer


When South Carolina's basketball team began practice six weeks ago, first-year coach Dave Odom thought his interior players could compete with any big men the Gamecocks would face this season.
Three games into the season, Odom admits the group needs serious improvement to live up to his expectations.

On the way to a fourth-place finish at last week's Maui Invitational, USC received an alarmingly low amount of its points from frontcourt players such as Tony Kitchings and Rolando Howell.

"I don't think there's any question that the inside game did not stand up to the high level of competition we were playing," Odom said Sunday as the Gamecocks prepared for tonight's 7:30 home opener against East Tennessee State.

The Gamecocks (1-2) averaged 69 points in beating Division II Chaminade and suffering blowout losses to top-ranked Duke and No. 3 UCLA. Kitchings, a 6-9 junior center, averaged 6.7 points. Howell, a 6-9 sophomore, contributed 5.7 points. USC guards Jamel Bradley (16.0) and Aaron Lucas (14.0) were forced to handle the majority of the scoring load. Swing players Carlos Powell (12.3), Chuck Eidson (7.0) and Chris Warren (5.3) accounted for most of the rest of the scoring, and nearly all their points came via perimeter jump shots rather than high-percentage shots inside. USC made 73 field goals in its three games. More than one-third of them, 26, were 3-point shots. Nearly half of the shots the Gamecocks took were 3-pointers.

"You have to have a great inside game to go with a good perimeter game," Odom said. "We could not go there to get the tough basket, which we have to be able to do. When we did get scoring inside, they were just complimentary points. I want it to be the focal point of the offense."

Odom said he has identified two reasons for the team's problems. First, he said, was a lack of movement within the halfcourt offense. He attributes that to poor spacing by the perimeter players, which didn't give USC's interior players much room to get open.

He's confident that problem can be corrected in practice.

"The other part of the equation is the inside players have to be more physicial. They have to be more committed to catching the ball and finishing the play," Odom said

The Gamecocks played the Maui Invitational without 6-10 junior center Marius Petravicius, who served a three-game NCAA suspension for his participation with a semipro team in his native Lithuania four summers ago. Petravicius, who averaged 8.5 points and 4.7 rebounds while starting 29 games last season, will return for tonight's game.

While Odom won't use Petravicius' absence as an excuse, he said it will be nice to have him back.

"That will help us," Odom said. "He'll be excited to be out there and that alone will help us."

Howell, who leads USC with 8 rebounds per game and seven steals, remains confident the guys down low can get the job done.

"We will get an inside game going," Howell said. "You don't have to worry about our inside game."

 

[double down]

Thanks for article...Sounds Like Odom will give them some motivation and the return of a big body will help...That article is worth another unit

 

[USC Gamecock]

Here's another one for you...

Dogs start 'tough week' with Tribe


Monday, November 26, 2001
BY JEFF HARTSELL
Of The Post and Courier Staff

A tough win over an NAIA team. A brave effort in a loss at the ACC's North Carolina State.
Those results against two teams from opposite ends of the college basketball spectrum make it difficult to get an early season handle on The Citadel.
But the Bulldogs should come into sharper focus this week, as they face three games against teams of their own mid-major ilk, starting tonight with William & Mary at McAlister Field House.
Then it is visiting Navy on Thursday and a game against Charleston Southern Saturday at the North Charleston Coliseum as part of the SoCon-Big South Shootout.
"A tough week for us," Citadel coach Pat Dennis said. "A very tough week."
It starts tonight against 1-3 William & Mary, a team that beat The Citadel by 65-62 last season.
Dennis hopes the Bulldogs can continue the effort they showed in a 63-53 loss at N.C. State last Friday.
"We lost by 10 points on the scoreboard, but it was a battle," Dennis said. "We fought, we clawed, we scratched and they never really put us away. We've got to carry that over against William & Mary. That game is very, very important to us."
William & Mary has started its season on the road, its first five games away from home. The Tribe got its first victory on Saturday with a 71-60 win at Charleston Southern. Guard Reid Markham hit four 3-point shots and scored a career-high 23 points for the Tribe against CSU. Sophomore forward Zeb Cope from Columbia had eight points and eight rebounds.
Tribe coach Rick Boyages has started nine different players in the first four games. Markham leads the team with 12.9 points per game, the only player in double figures. Forward Mike Johnson is next at 9.2 points and 5.2 rebounds per game, and he scored 14 points against the Bulldogs last season.
The Tribe started its season with a 75-55 loss at Texas Tech in Bobby Knight's first game with the Red Raiders, and lost by 63-57 at High Point, a team picked to finish last in the Big South.
The Bulldogs will continue to try to build offensive chemistry without departed point guard Mike Roy. Mike Joseph, a 6-4 junior, brought the ball upcourt against N.C. State's press and played well with 13 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two turnovers. Sophomore Erick Wilson will likely get the start at point guard.
"Hopefully, we'll get some fans out this week since Thanksgiving is over," Dennis said. "We need a good atmosphere, and we need those cadets back in the stands."

 

[USC Gamecock]

Double Down,

I hate to post information that may sway someone's bet one way or the other, usually I just try to help by posting information that others may not have seen or simply don't have time to research...that being said...consider the following before you load up too heavily on the Gamecocks tonight...

South Carolina has been notorious over the years for starting slow and LOSING OUTRIGHT to so called 'inferior' teams. Over the years the Gamecocks have lost to the likes of UNC-Ashville, Tennessee Tech (last year), East Carolina and Coastal Carolina (to name a few) at the beginning of the season.

None of those losses were under the reins of Dave Odom, but I still think it is worth considering. It's hard to explain if you don't follow the Gamecocks, but let me try...

A lot of people look at the spread and see S.Carolina playing a smaller school and automatically think USC should win in a blow out, but that just hasn't been the case over the years. USC has had alot of trouble winning games, much less covering large spreads, against 'inferior' teams early in the season.

Please remember that all of this is based on USC teams of the past that were not coached by Dave Odom. Odom may have these guys ready to kill tonight for all I know. I just thought you might like to know this before you put too much cash on the cocks tonight.

My best advice would be to wait a few games and see how these players (who have a good bit of talent) take to Dave Odom and his system before you drop alot of money on them.

Good luck tonight.

 

[double down]

I appreciate the thought and time you put into that post...Odom will have them ready. Get'em up Cocks!

 

[USC Gamecock]

Last one...


Bucs face 1-2 Gamecocks Monday night in Columbia

By BILLY DIXON

JOHNSON CITY - After a short break for the holiday, the East Tennessee State men's basketball team returns to the hardcourt tonight.

Unfortunately for the battle-tested Bucs, the going gets no easier.

ETSU will face off with South Carolina of the Southeastern Conference. Game time is 7:30 p.m.

"There's no question this is a tough one," said ETSU assistant coach Hillary Scott. "Hopefully, these are the type of games that get us better and have us ready later in the year."

If last year was any indication, that's exactly what's going to happen.

The 2000-01 Bucs played a similar schedule to open the season, then rallied to win the Southern Conference regular-season title.

While the task seems daunting to the naked eye, the Bucs are heading to Columbia, S.C., to beat the Gamecocks - and the possibility is there.

Both teams sport 1-2 records, with both losses coming to top-notch teams. ETSU dropped its last two contests to Virginia and Virginia Commonwealth. South Carolina, meanwhile, fell twice in Hawaii to Duke and UCLA, while beating Chaminade.

Because of the quality opponents, it could be hard to have a feel for either team.

"I can't speak for them, but I feel like we're getting better," said Bucs head coach Ed DeChellis. "We're definitely better than we were against Guilford and I think we played pretty well against Virginia and VCU. We just did things you can't do and win on the road."

Although an SEC school, South Carolina has a similar weakness that has plagued the Bucs all year - lack of rebounding.

ETSU is actually grabbing 36 rebounds per game compared to South Carolina's 29.

"I think they have struggled rebounding the ball because they're playing teams like Duke and UCLA," DeChellis said. "They're trying to learn a new system and it's taking a while, but they have some big guys in there banging around."

When it comes to scoring, the teams appear fairly equal.

The Gamecocks have three players averaging double figures with Jamal Bradley leading the way at 16.0 points per game. Aaron Lucas (14.0 ppg) and Carlos Powell (12.3 ppg) have shown the ability to put the ball in the basket.

ETSU has four players in double digits, but only two of those are starters.

Thanks to his 29-point effort against VCU, Dimeco Childress leads the team with 14.3 per game.

Jerald Fields has been efficient inside, averaging 12.7 points and 7.3 rebounds.

After that, though, the Bucs' starting line has been nearly nonexistent.

Freshman Tiras Wade and Zakee Wadood have picked up the slack off the bench. Wade chips in 12.7 points per game and Wadood 12 a game with 7.3 rebounds.

"We thought about making changes, but decided not to," DeChellis said. "Ryan (Lawson), Cliff (Decoster) and Cory (Seels) have to give us more production, but they will.

"Then, when we bring Tiras and Zakee off the bench, it's an instant scoring threat with very athletic people. That's a positive and could be a very big thing down the road."

As will be the case for most of the season, the Bucs are once again facing a much taller team.

The Gamecocks field three players that stand 6-foot-9 or better.

"This is an SEC team we're playing," DeChellis added. "They're tall and big-bodied in the middle, but I think we can use our athletic ability to get up there with them."

This is Game 3 in a five-game road stand for ETSU. The Bucs next play on Wednesday at UNC Asheville.

 

[NJO]

Gamecock, thank you for the posts and articles -- great reading and much appreciated!

 

[The Hammer]

DD--I have followed USC very closely for many years, and have seen them play 4 times this year. There is some talent, especially with big men Howell- 6-9"(former McDonald's AA) and Kitchings- 6-10"(HS A-A), and Petravicious- 6-10". However, they are hurting at the 2 and 3 positions, and the perimeter defense is atrocious (UCLA shot over 70% in Hawaii). I think USC will pound ETSU inside, but I believe that ETSU will play very competitively. ETSU lost to a great UVA team by 23 and was beating a decent VCU squad at the half on the road. I am going to probably make my play after watching warmups in a few minutes, but I plan to take ETSU and the 17 points in a light play (one star).

 

[double down]

Citadel 67-62 Winna Winna for a Chicken Dinna!!

 

[USC Gamecock]

Good call on the Bulldogs...hopefully the 'Cocks will pull it out for you.

 

[double down]

Push on South Carolina...Thanks for your advice...should had listened and not have to sweat out a stinkin' push

 

[The Hammer]

DD--I was lucky to get the push. ETSU was terrible. No defense, iside or out. USC had the game and cover locked up, but I left and miraculously ETSU came back to push. Good call on Citadel. Keep it up.