Kershaws Corner: Oklahoma State
South Carolina vs. Oklahoma State Series
* The only meeting between the Gamecocks and Cowboys took place on December 23, 1975 in Columbia. USC won the game 70-61.
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* That game was part of the Carolina Classic and the 2013 game is part of the SEC vs. Big 12 Challenge.
South Carolina vs. The Big 12
* The Gamecocks are 8-11 against the Big 12 and they are 3-5 on the road against Big 12.
* The last Big 12 opponent that the Gamecocks faced was Baylor earlier this season. The Gamecocks went to Waco and dropped the game to the Bears 66-64. At the time of the game, the Bears were ranked 23rd in the AP and 25th in the Coaches Poll. They are currently ranked 20th in both polls.
2013 Big 12/SEC Challenge schedule
Thursday, November 14
Alabama 76, Texas Tech 76-64
Monday, December 2
Iowa State 99, Auburn 70
Texas 70, Vanderbilt 6
Thursday, December 5
Kansas State 61, Ole Miss 58
TCU 71, Mississippi State 61
Missouri 80, West Virginia 71
Friday, December 6
South Carolina at Oklahoma State (ESPNU - 9:30pm ET)
Kentucky vs. Baylor - Dallas (ESPN - 10pm ET)
Tuesday, December 10
Kansas at Florida (ESPN - 7pm ET)
Saturday, December 21
Oklahoma vs. Texas A&M - Houston (ESPNU - 7pm ET)
Oklahoma State Head Coach Travis Ford
* Ford has a career record of 301-210 and is 111-64 at Oklahoma State
6th season at OSU
* Also coached at Campbellsville, Eastern Kentucky and Massachusetts
* Per his bio on the OSU website - Played basketball at Kentucky where he ranks 2nd in single season (91.2%) and 3rd in career (88.2%) free throw percentage. At one time, he connected on 50 consecutive free throws, a school record.
Scouting the Cowboys
* The Cowboys were 24-9 in 2012-13 and posted a 13-5 record to finish 3rd in the Big 12.
* Cowboys returned 12 letterwinners and 4 starters from the 2012-13 squad.
* Cowboys are 7-1 on the season and are 4-0 at Gallagher-Iba Arena this season.
* Oklahoma State is ranked 9th in the AP and 11th in the USA Today Coaches Poll. The Cowboys will be the 2nd ranked opponent that the Gamecocks have faced this season and both were played on the road. (Baylor)
Cowboys at Gallagher-Iba Arena in 2013
* The Cowboys are 4-0 at home this season.
Scored 93 points or more in all 4 home games.
Won all 4 games at home by 21 points or more.
Their home wins are against Mississippi Valley State (117-62), Utah Valley (93-40), Arkansas Pine-Bluff (97-63) and Memphis (101-80).
* The only opponent they faced at Gallagher-Iba this season that is currently ranked is Memphis. The Tigers are 5-1 on the season and ranked 16th in the AP and 15 in the Coaches Poll.
* The largest attendance this season was 13,611 fans for the Memphis game.
* The Cowboys first 4 games of the season were at home and they have not played a home game since defeating Memphis on November 19, 2013. Oklahoma State then went on the road to play South Florida in Tampa and then played in the Old Spice Classic.
On the Road Against South Florida and the Old Spice Classic
* The Cowboys defeated USF 93-67 in Tampa on November 25, 2013.
* After playing the Bulls, the OSU played in the Old Spice Classic in Kissimmee, Florida. The Cowboys defeated Purdue 97-87 on November 28 and Butler 69-67 on November 29. The win over Butler put OSU in the Finals of the Old Spice Classic to set up a rematch with Memphis.
* The Tigers defeated the Cowboys 73-68 in the Finals. In the earlier matchup against Memphis, Marcus Smart scored 39 against the Tigers. In the Championship Game of the Old Spice Classic, Smart was held to 12 points.
Cowboys Starting 5
* Cowboys have started the same 5 in all 8 games this season: Marcus Smart, Markel Brown, Le'Bryan Nash, Brian Williams, and Michael Corbins
* 4 of the 5 starters are averaging 10+ points a game - Smart (20.5), Brown (16.9), Nash (12.5), and Williams (10.3).
Marcus Smart - Key Starter
* Smart is leading the Cowboys with 20.5 points per game.
* Smart led the Cowboys in scoring against Memphis with 39, Purdue with 30, and 17 against Butler.
* He leads the team with 113 field goals attempted and 67 free throw attempts.
* He is 66% from the FT line and is hitting 34% of his shots from 3-point range.
* He is averaging 29.8 minutes per game. The only Cowboy averaging more than Smart in minutes per game is Markel Brown with 32.2 minutes per game.
* Also leads the team with 29 assists and 24 steals on the season.
* Smart is a sophomore guard from Flower Mound, Texas.
Phil Forte - Off the Bench
* Forte is a sophomore guard who has played in all 8 games.
* He is averaging 21 minutes a game and is third on the team averaging 13.6 points per game.
* He is hitting 56% from the field and from 3-point range.
* He is 29 of 52 from the field. Majority of his shots are from three's as he is 23 of 41 on the season.
* He is 28 of 29 from the free throw line.
University of South Carolina Head Coach Frank Martin
* Martin is 133-74 overall and has a 16-20 record at South Carolina.
* He is in his second season with the Gamecocks
Martin vs. Oklahoma State
Coach Martin is 4-3 all-time against Oklahoma State. He played the Cowboys each year while he was the head coach at Kansas State.
February 9, 2008 Home W 82-61
March 3, 2009 Away L 71-77
January 23, 2010 Home L 69-73
March 11, 2010 Big 12 Championship W 83-64
January 8, 2011 Away L 62-76
January 21, 2012 Away W 66-58
March 3, 2012 Home W 77-58
Coach Martin at South Carolina vs. Opponents
Alabama 0-1
Appalachian State 1-0
Arkansas 1-0
Arkansas Little-Rock 1-0
Auburn 0-1
Baylor 0-1
Clemson 0-2
Elon 0-1
Florida 0-1
Florida International 1-0
Georgia 0-2
Jacksonville 1-0
Kentucky 0-1
Longwood 1-0
LSU 1-1
Manhattan 1-0
Milwaukee 1-0
Mississippi 1-0
Mississippi State 1-2
Missouri 0-2
Missouri State 1-0
Morgan State 1-0
Presbyterian 1-0
Rider 1-0
SC State 1-0
St. John's 0-1
Tennessee 0-1
Texas A&M 0-1
Vanderbilt 0-2
Total 16-20
Gamecocks Against Non-Conference Opponents Under Martin
* The Gamecocks are 12-5 against non-conference opponents under Head Coach Frank Martin.
Gamecock Superlatives Under Martin
Points 91 Jacksonville (12/7/12)
Field Goals Made 32 S.C. State (1/5/13) and Rider (11/19/12)
Field Goal Attempts 71 S.C. State (1/5/13)
Field Goal % .577 (30-52) Arkansas (1/26/13)
3 Pt FG Made 13 Rider (11/19/12)
3 Pt FG Attempted 31 Mississippi State (3/13/13)
3 Pt FG % .625 (10-16) Jacksonville (12/7/12)
Free Throws Made 28 Mississippi State (3/6/13) and LSU (1/16/13)
Free Throw Attempts 37 LSU (1/16/13)
Free Throw % .846 (11-13) Vanderbilt (3/9/13) and Georgia (2/2/13)
Rebounds 50 Longwood (11/9/13)
Assists 22 Rider (11/19/12)
Steals 9 Vanderbilt (1/19/13), UALR (11/25/12), Baylor (11/12/13)
Blocked Shots 8 Ole Miss (2/20/13), LSU (2/14/13), App State (12/19/12),
Longwood (11/9/13)
Turnovers 25 Missouri State (11/24/12)
Fouls 29 Georgia (2/23/13) and Baylor (11/12/13)
Gamecocks in 2013-14
Gamecocks are 2-2 on the season.
The 2 wins are at Colonial Life Arena while the 2 losses are both on the road.
Gamecocks on the Road
* Carolina went 1-9 on the road in 2012-13 and are 0-2 this season. Carolina lost at Baylor (64-66) and at Clemson. (57-71)
* The Gamecocks have lost the battle off the bench in both of the road games. Baylor outscored Carolina 36-17 off the bench and Clemson's bench outscored USC's 34-18.
* The Gamecocks are 4 of 18 (.222) from 3-point range in the 2 road games combined compared to 14 of 39 (.359) in the 2 home games.
Gamecock Freshmen
* The Gamecocks have 7 true freshmen on the 2013-14 roster.
* The freshmen have combined for 124 of the 287 points this season. 43.2% of the team's points.
Demetrius Henry
* 4th on the team averaging 9.0 points per game and is 3rd on the team averaging 28.5 minutes per game.
* 2nd on the team with 16 field goals made and 3rd on the team with 34 field goal attempts.
* Tied for 2nd on the team with 23 rebounds for an average of 5.8 per game.
Tied for 2nd on the team with 3 blocks.
* Scored a career high 14 points against Florida International and it was 1st ever game scoring in double digits.
* Has at least 5 rebounds in all 4 games this season. Has 6 in 3 games.
Justin McKie
* Played in 3 games this season.
* Hit a free throw for his only points scored on the season.
Duane Notice
* Played in all 4 games this season and has 2 starts.
* Second on the team with 9 assists.
* Averaging 3.0 points per game.
Desmond Ringer
* Played in all 4 games this season but has not started a game.
* Averaging 1.3 points per game in 7.5 minutes per game.
Jaylen Shaw
* Averaging 10.0 minutes per game and 6.0 points per game.
* Shooting 50% (4-8) from 3-point range on the season. He was 4 of 7 against FIU.
* Played in 3 games this season.
* 3rd on the team with 7 assists.
* Scored 18 points this season and 16 of the 18 came against Florida International.
Reggie Theus, Jr.
* Played in 2 games this season
Sindarius Thornwell
* Leading the team with 13.0 points per game and 6 steals on the season.
* 2nd on the team in minutes played with 115 for an average of 28.8 per game
* Started all 4 games this season
* 16-22 (.727) from the free throw line. Only Tyrone Johnson has more free throws attempted than Thornwell.
Gamecock Sophomores
* 5 sophomores on the 2013-14 roster.
Kacinas and Carrera combine for 60 of the teams 157 rebounds (38.2%) on the season. 28 of their 60 rebounds are on the offensive side of the glass. The team has 56 offensive rebounds this season.
Michael Carrera
* Played in all 4 games this season and has 2 starts.
* Averaging 8.0 points per game, and 5.8 rebounds per game in 22.8 minutes per game.
* He is 9 of 14 from the free throw line.
* He is tied for 2nd on the team with 23 rebounds.
* Leads the team with 5 blocks on the season and is tied for 2nd on the team with 5 steals.
Laimonas Chatkevicius
* Played in 3 games this season.
* Averaging 10.7 minutes per game, 2.7 points per game and 2.7 rebounds per game
* Has 3 blocks on the season.
Austin Constable
* Has not played in any games this season.
Mindaugas Kacinas
* Played and started all 4 games this season.
* Averaging 8 points per game and 9.3 rebounds in 28.3 minutes per game.
* 4th on the team with 28.3 minutes per game.
* Leads the team with 37 rebounds on the season. He has 17 offensive boards and 20 on the defensive side of the ball.
* Shooting 58.3% (14 of 24) from the field. * He has not attempted a 3 this season.
* Led the team in rebounds in 3 of 4 games played this season. The only game he did not lead the team in rebounding was at Baylor.
* Has at least 9 rebounds in 3 of the 4 games this season. Grabbed 12 against Clemson and a career high 14 against Longwood.
Brian Steele
* The only game he has played in this season was at Clemson.
Gamecock Juniors
* 2 juniors are on the 2013-14 roster.
Carlton Geathers
* RS-Junior who has not seen any action this season.
Tyrone Johnson
* Transfer from Villanova
* Played and started all 4 games this season.
* 2nd on the team with 12.3 points per game and leads the team with 19 assists.
* 2nd on the team with 5 steals.
* Leads the team in minutes per game with 31.5.
* He is 20 of 26 from the free throw line. * * He leads the team in free throws made and free throws attempted.
* Led the team in scoring against Longwood and Florida International. Both of those games were at home and he scored in 18 of each of them.
* Attempted at least 7 free throws in 3 of 4 games this season. His season low in free throw attempts came against Clemson when he shot 2.
Gamecock Seniors
* Gamecocks have 2 seniors on the squad.
Bruce Ellington
* Missed the first 4 games of the season due to being on the football team. Coach Martin said on Tuesday in his press conference that he practiced with the team and will make the trip to Stillwater.
* Ellington has 876 points scored in his basketball career. He needs 124 points this season to go over 1,000 in his career.
* Ellington has 100 catches for 1,435 yards and 14 touchdowns in his career on the football field. He is the 14th Gamecock to have 100 catches in a career.
Brenton Williams
* Played in all 4 games this season and is averaging 10.5 points per game in 22.0 minutes played per game.
* The 10.5 points per game is 3rd on the team.
* He is 12 of 12 on free throw attempts this season. 6 of his 12 FT's came against FIU.
* He is 6 of 19 on 3 pointers this season. * * He has made and attempted more 3's than any other Gamecock this season.
* Scored in double figures in 3 games this season. Failed to score any points at Clemson where he went 0 of 5 from the field.
Gamecocks Starting 5
* Coach Martin has used 2 different starting lineups this season.
* USC is 1-1 when the starting 5 is Johnson, Thornwell, Notice, Henry and Kacinas and they are also 1-1 when the starting 5 is Johnson Thornwell, Carrera, Henry and Kacinas.
* USC started Johnson, Thornwell, Carrera, Henry and Kacinas at Baylor and against Florida International. The lineup of Notice, Johnson, Thornwell, Henry, and Kacinas started against Longwood and at Clemson.
* Only 4 players have started in all 4 games this season. Thornwell, Johnson, Henry, and Kacinas
* At least 2 freshmen have been in each starting lineup this season. Thornwell and Henry
Up Next for Carolina
Manhattan Dec. 17 7 p.m. Colonial Life Arena
USC Upstate Dec. 19 4 p.m. Colonial Life Arena