SOUTH CAROLINA MEN’S BASKETBALL

South Carolina will face a tough task to start a new winning streak when it hosts Auburn Tuesday night.

1. Bounce back game

South Carolina’s undefeated conference start was bound to end at some point, but it ended with a resounding loss at the hands of LSU. LSU led by 20 at halftime and as much as 33 in the second half, as South Carolina was outplayed from the second possession on (Chris Silva’s dunk for a three-point play on the opening possession was pretty sweet).

A glass half-empty view is that South Carolina had been playing over its head, and LSU exposed some serious flaws. A glass half-full argument can be made that the loss is not a big deal. It was on the road, after a long game, where nothing went right. It was just one of those games that happens over the long SEC season.

“Yesterday I said, we’re going to fix this,” Gamecock head coach Frank Martin said. “We went hard (in practice Sunday). They were great. They were in good spirits.”

2. Fatigue?

Against LSU, South Carolina looked tired The offense was stagnant, the defense was a step slower than LSU, and there was no hustle for rebounds or loose balls. On one hand, it makes sense. South Carolina was playing its third game in seven days because of the postponed Missouri game, with the last two on the road. It extended a lot of effort coming back from 12 down against Vanderbilt, and the bench barely goes four deep. South Carolina also has not played this many games without a break until this point in the season.

The streak continues this week, when South Carolina plays Tuesday instead of Wednesday, and at the unusual tip time of 6:30. Of course, 30 minutes shouldn’t make a difference, but one less day of rest for an already tired, thin team could make a difference. And there is no relief on the horizon. Since the SEC went to an 18-game conference schedule and shifting the Big 12-SEC Challenge to January, teams play two games a week for the entire conference schedule. South Carolina will get on off day Wednesday, the normal day for midweek games, but that is as big a break as it will get.

3. Suits and sneakers

Martin has made his sartorial choices a point of emphasis this season. He let fans vote on his wardrobe for the Virginia game, and later offered a five-minute dissertation on wearing a tie. There is no advance word on whether he will wear a tie Tuesday night, but he and his staff will be wearing sneakers. Martin will be participating in the Coaches vs Cancer Suits and Sneakers Week, meant to raise funds and awareness for the American Cancer Society. It’s not quite as noteworthy as following what shoes Dawn Staley wears, but it’s important nonetheless.

4. Free tickets

As the partial government shutdown enters its second month, the Gamecocks have offered a small consolation to federal employees who have been furloughed or who are working without pay. Federal employees can claim up to four free tickets to any men’s or women’s basketball game for the duration of the shutdown.

In a release, South Carolina said, “federal government employees can claim up to four complimentary tickets for immediate family members per game by showing a valid federal government ID at the Colonial Life Arena Ticket Office, which opens 2.5 hours before tipoff.”

There are more than 33,000 federal employees in the state of South Carolina.

5. Scouting the Tigers

Both teams are coming off a loss, as Auburn missed a game-winning layup against Kentucky. South Carolina upset Auburn in Columbia almost 11 months ago, defeating then-#10 Auburn 84-75. Auburn got its revenge two weeks later with a 79-70 win at Auburn.

This year’s Tigers are a typical Bruce Pearl team. They have a fast-paced offense, that shoots lots of threes, and an aggressive defense designed to force turnovers. The Tigers were one of the preseason favorites in the SEC, and have had a somewhat disappointing season so far. The loss to Kentucky was their second conference loss of the season, following a loss to upstart Ole Miss.

The Ws

Who: South Carolina (9-8, 4-1) vs #16 Auburn (13-4, 2-2)

When: Tuesday, January 22, 6:30 pm

Where: Colonial Life Arena

Watch: SEC Network

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