South Carolina will try to pile up another win on the road against Alabama.

1. Threes

Frank Martin was pleased with the Gamecocks’ defensive effort against the Bulldogs, aside from one part.

“That’s where all our breakdowns were defensively were corner coverage,” Martin said. “We played well defensively, but we made mistakes.”

It’s a good thing South Carolina doesn’t have to worry about Alabama taking a lot of threes. Oh, wait…

Alabama shoots a lot of threes. Think of the Crimson Tide like the men’s version of Mike Neighbors’ Arkansas teams. Defensively, teams aren't getting back to defend the basket, you are running to the three-point line. Alabama averages 11-31.1 from three per game. That is second in the nation in makes and third in attempts. In conference play, just under half Alabama’s shot attempts have been from three (the percentage actually rounds to 50 percent).

2. Bryant-Bryant

Keyshawn Bryant had his second consecutive double-double against Georgia, both coming after Martin pleaded with Bryant that he needed to produce more. In those two games, Bryant is averaging 15.5 points and 10 rebounds, the first two double-figure rebounding games of his career. He’s taken 14 shots in both games, tying his career high, and has a total of 5 assists and three steals with a block. Bryant even picked up the defensive assignment on Georgia’s Anthony Edwards at times, along with his usual assortment of rim-rattling dunks.

In short, he’s played like who Martin thought he could be.

“He’s worked really hard from last year to this year,” Martin said. “My biggest challenge for him is rebound the ball. (...) Give him credit.”

3. SEC Outlook

South Carolina has clinched a winning season and at least a .500 SEC season. The Gamecocks are tied with Mississippi State for fifth place, a game behind LSU and Florida in third. With losses to both LSU and Florida, South Carolina is essentially 1.5 games back for seeding purposes.

Alabama is two games back, and unfortunately South Carolina doesn’t have any games remaining against the teams above them. The Mississippi State game is for a season split, but mostly South Carolina just has to continue to, as Martin said, “pile up wins” and hope some other people lose.

4. Clutch Lawson

Aj Lawson has had an up and down season, and the Georgia game was a microcosm of that. He was aggressive defensively in the first half, but then he couldn’t get any of his shots to fall and he started to disappear. But when South Carolina needed a basket late, Martin called a timeout to set up a three-point try for Lawson. Lawson delivered to tie the game, and South Carolina went on to win. Martin said he had no hesitation in going to Lawson, despite his shooting woes.

“I had no doubt in the play,” Martin said. “I’d deserve to get called into the office and dismissed immediately if I started doubting in a player halfway through a game that’s played for us for two years.”

Lawson is now averaging 13.5 points on 42 percent shooting and 35 percent from three this season.

5. Scouting the Crimson Tide

The biggest news from Alabama is that barring a “miraculous recovery overnight,” the Crimson Tide will be without John Petty, Jr. due to an elbow injury. Petty is the Tide’s second leading scorer (15 points), leading rebounder (6.6), and most prolific three-point shooter.

Without Petty, Alabama loses one-third of it’s three-headed attack that includes leading scorer Kira Lewis, Jr. and freshman Jaden Shackelford. Lewis averages 17.9 points and 5.1 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game. Shackelford averages 14.9 points, and two-thirds of his shot attempts have been from behind the arc.

The Ws

Who: South Carolina (17-11, 9-6) at Alabama (15-13, 7-8)

When: Saturday, February 29, 8:30 pm

Where: Coleman Coliseum, Tuscaloosa, AL

Watch: SEC Network