Gamecocks Prepare for 19th-Ranked Georgetown and National TV Audience
The South Carolina men?s basketball team (5-2) continues its rugged stretch of six games in 12 days with its strongest test to date in the string as the Gamecocks take on the 19th-ranked Georgetown Hoyas (5-1) Thursday night before a national television audience (ESPN) at Frank McGuire Arena. Tipoff is slated for 7:05 p.m.
The Gamecocks have won four-straight games after a 1-2 showing in the presitigious Maui Invitational last month and played quite possibly their best game to date in a 67-48 thrashing of Big East foe Providence Monday night. Georgetown comes into Thursday?s game with a +31.2 scoring margin and has rebounded from its lone loss (against Georgia, 73-59, in the Tipoff Classic in Springfield, Mass.) with four wins in a row as well, last playing in a 91-61 thumping of Bethune-Cookman last Wednesday in Washington, D.C.
INJURY UPDATE
Two of South Carolina?s post players were injured in the win over Colorado State last Saturday with one?s status remaining in doubt for the Georgetown game. Junior center Tony Kitchings suffered a grade two concussion late against the Rams and after sitting out Sunday?s practice, did not play in the win over Providence. His status for the game against the Hoyas remains questionable. Sophomore forward Rolando Howell suffered a bruised sternum early in the second half of the Colorado State game, but the Columbia native was a full-go at practice Sunday and had nine points and eight rebounds against Providence. Howell had tenderness in the area after taking a first-half charge, but is expected to be at full-go status for Georgetown.
DEFENSE RISES TO OCCASION
South Carolina Head Coach Dave Odom has been concerned about his team?s defensive effort and effectiveness early this season, but Carolina?s performace over the last three games has been particularly impressive
Last Wednesday, the Gamecocks held Wofford to 49 points, at the time an opponent season low and the lowest since the Gamecocks defeated Vanderbilt, 57-49, last January. The Terriers ended the game making 17-of-56 shots from the field, as the 30.4 percent success rate is the lowest for a USC opponent since South Carolina State made 16-of-69 shots (23.2%) on Dec. 30, 1999 in Columbia. The Gamecocks led 27-18 at halftime with the 18 points scored by Wofford being the lowest by a Carolina opponent in a half since Tennessee tallied 17 first-half points in a Jan. 8, 1997 contest in Columbia. Carolina held Wofford to just three field goals in the last 12:48 of the first half.
For the game, Wofford shot 30.4 percent from the field and 19.2 percent from long range and tallied 49 points ? all USC opponent lows this season.
But the Gamecocks have been equally impressive over the last two games as well. Carolina first held Colorado State to 58 points and forced 22 turnovers in the 66-58 win last Saturday, then held Providence to a USC-opponent low 48 points and forced 24 miscues in the 67-48 win Monday.
Coming into the Wofford game last Wednesday, USC?s opponents were hitting 55.7 percent from the field and 38 percent from long range while averaging 74.1 points a game. Those figures have dropped to 49.0% (FG), 27.8% (3P ? second in the SEC) and 69.7% (FT) through seven games.
LUCAS PLAYING BEST CAREER BALL
Gamecock senior point guard Aaron Lucas is playing the best basketball of his career and the stat sheet show it. Lucas currently ranks fourth in the Southeastern Conference in assist-turnover ratio, but is first among starting point guards with a 3.64:1 tally. And it?s Lucas? play over the last four-plus games that is particularly impressive.
Lucas committed a turnover the 9:32 mark of the first half in the UCLA game Nov. 21. He did not have another miscue until four minutes into the Colorado State game on Dec. 1 ? a span of nearly three full games encompassing 114 minutes and 38 seconds. He committed just three turnovers (against eight assists) against the Rams, and had seven assists and just one turnover against Providence. Since that miscue against UCLA, the Columbia native has 32 assists and just four turnovers (8.00:1 A-TO ratio) in 144 minutes of court time.
For the season, the Columbia, S.C., native and team captain has a 40:11 assist-to-turnover ratio (3:64:1) after posting a mark of 1.29:1 (114 assists, 88 turnovers) last season. Lucas has a 1.40:1 career assist-to-turnover ratio.
LUCAS A DEFENSIVE STOPPER
Lucas hasn?t just fared well leading the team on offense, he?s been a stopper of some of the the nation?s top point guards to date. Against Duke, Lucas held 2001 National Player of the Year Jason Williams to six points with four turnovers, while the next day against UCLA, Cedric Bozeman had just four points and committed five turnovers.
Lucas turned it up another notch against speedy Providence point guard John LinehanMonday night, holding Linehan to two points and three turnovers, while forcing him into a 1-of-8 shooting day from the floor. Williams, Bozeman and Linehan combined have posted 4.0 points and 1.3 rebounds, shot 40 percent from the field (6-15) and were 0-of-6 from three-point range while committing 12 turnovers. The point totals remain season lows for all three individuals.
The South Carolina men?s basketball team (5-2) continues its rugged stretch of six games in 12 days with its strongest test to date in the string as the Gamecocks take on the 19th-ranked Georgetown Hoyas (5-1) Thursday night before a national television audience (ESPN) at Frank McGuire Arena. Tipoff is slated for 7:05 p.m.
The Gamecocks have won four-straight games after a 1-2 showing in the presitigious Maui Invitational last month and played quite possibly their best game to date in a 67-48 thrashing of Big East foe Providence Monday night. Georgetown comes into Thursday?s game with a +31.2 scoring margin and has rebounded from its lone loss (against Georgia, 73-59, in the Tipoff Classic in Springfield, Mass.) with four wins in a row as well, last playing in a 91-61 thumping of Bethune-Cookman last Wednesday in Washington, D.C.
INJURY UPDATE
Two of South Carolina?s post players were injured in the win over Colorado State last Saturday with one?s status remaining in doubt for the Georgetown game. Junior center Tony Kitchings suffered a grade two concussion late against the Rams and after sitting out Sunday?s practice, did not play in the win over Providence. His status for the game against the Hoyas remains questionable. Sophomore forward Rolando Howell suffered a bruised sternum early in the second half of the Colorado State game, but the Columbia native was a full-go at practice Sunday and had nine points and eight rebounds against Providence. Howell had tenderness in the area after taking a first-half charge, but is expected to be at full-go status for Georgetown.
DEFENSE RISES TO OCCASION
South Carolina Head Coach Dave Odom has been concerned about his team?s defensive effort and effectiveness early this season, but Carolina?s performace over the last three games has been particularly impressive
Last Wednesday, the Gamecocks held Wofford to 49 points, at the time an opponent season low and the lowest since the Gamecocks defeated Vanderbilt, 57-49, last January. The Terriers ended the game making 17-of-56 shots from the field, as the 30.4 percent success rate is the lowest for a USC opponent since South Carolina State made 16-of-69 shots (23.2%) on Dec. 30, 1999 in Columbia. The Gamecocks led 27-18 at halftime with the 18 points scored by Wofford being the lowest by a Carolina opponent in a half since Tennessee tallied 17 first-half points in a Jan. 8, 1997 contest in Columbia. Carolina held Wofford to just three field goals in the last 12:48 of the first half.
For the game, Wofford shot 30.4 percent from the field and 19.2 percent from long range and tallied 49 points ? all USC opponent lows this season.
But the Gamecocks have been equally impressive over the last two games as well. Carolina first held Colorado State to 58 points and forced 22 turnovers in the 66-58 win last Saturday, then held Providence to a USC-opponent low 48 points and forced 24 miscues in the 67-48 win Monday.
Coming into the Wofford game last Wednesday, USC?s opponents were hitting 55.7 percent from the field and 38 percent from long range while averaging 74.1 points a game. Those figures have dropped to 49.0% (FG), 27.8% (3P ? second in the SEC) and 69.7% (FT) through seven games.
LUCAS PLAYING BEST CAREER BALL
Gamecock senior point guard Aaron Lucas is playing the best basketball of his career and the stat sheet show it. Lucas currently ranks fourth in the Southeastern Conference in assist-turnover ratio, but is first among starting point guards with a 3.64:1 tally. And it?s Lucas? play over the last four-plus games that is particularly impressive.
Lucas committed a turnover the 9:32 mark of the first half in the UCLA game Nov. 21. He did not have another miscue until four minutes into the Colorado State game on Dec. 1 ? a span of nearly three full games encompassing 114 minutes and 38 seconds. He committed just three turnovers (against eight assists) against the Rams, and had seven assists and just one turnover against Providence. Since that miscue against UCLA, the Columbia native has 32 assists and just four turnovers (8.00:1 A-TO ratio) in 144 minutes of court time.
For the season, the Columbia, S.C., native and team captain has a 40:11 assist-to-turnover ratio (3:64:1) after posting a mark of 1.29:1 (114 assists, 88 turnovers) last season. Lucas has a 1.40:1 career assist-to-turnover ratio.
LUCAS A DEFENSIVE STOPPER
Lucas hasn?t just fared well leading the team on offense, he?s been a stopper of some of the the nation?s top point guards to date. Against Duke, Lucas held 2001 National Player of the Year Jason Williams to six points with four turnovers, while the next day against UCLA, Cedric Bozeman had just four points and committed five turnovers.
Lucas turned it up another notch against speedy Providence point guard John LinehanMonday night, holding Linehan to two points and three turnovers, while forcing him into a 1-of-8 shooting day from the floor. Williams, Bozeman and Linehan combined have posted 4.0 points and 1.3 rebounds, shot 40 percent from the field (6-15) and were 0-of-6 from three-point range while committing 12 turnovers. The point totals remain season lows for all three individuals.
