Gamecocks game against Ole Miss postponed
Frank Martin said earlier this week that in the age of COVID, text messages from his training staff are better than phone calls.
A text usually means everyone is healthy and good to go while a phone call typically brings more problems.
Today Martin got a phone call, and it resulted in the Gamecocks getting Saturday's game against Ole Miss postponed.
“I got the phone call about five o’clock today. Then I was waiting on some other information,” Martin said on his call-in show. “That information was reinforced about 10 or 15 minutes ago while we were on the air. The decision was made this game has to be postponed. Away we go again.”
The postponement comes from a "combination of positive tests, contact tracing and subsequent quarantining of individuals within the South Carolina basketball program," the SEC announced Thursday night.
It's now the second COVID pause the Gamecocks have had to go on this season, coming less than a week after playing their first game after an almost month-long pause through most of December.
“I don’t even know what to say to our players anymore," Martin said. "I’ve run out of words to keep their spirits in the right place and their enthusiasm for competing in the right place.”
The Gamecocks (3-2, 1-0 SEC) played three games to start their season before being shut down and having five games either canceled or postponed, including the annual rivalry against Clemson and the regular season opener against Kentucky.
Jan. 2 the Gamecocks resumed games, beating Florida A&M 78-71, then walloped Texas A&M 78-54 Wednesday night in their new SEC opener.
Martin was obviously disappointed and discouraged during his call-in show and is trying to find a way to stay positive through what is an insanely frustrating time for him, his staff and the players.
“I don’t even know what to say anymore. You stand up and you’re given the opportunity to go do your job. Three days later you get gut punched again,” Martin said. "I’m at a loss for words. I take a lot of pride in picking myself up off the mat and being ready to go...Right now, this is getting really difficult.”