SOUTH CAROLINA MEN’S BASKETBALL
The Gamecocks are back in action against George Washington Sunday afternoon.
1. Defense
The most glaring issue over the past two weeks has been the Gamecocks’ lack of defense, especially on the perimeter. The guards have not kept opponents from getting into the lane, and then have not rotated well in help defense. That’s where all the open threes come from, and it is more than a little surprising. One thing you could always count on with a Frank Martin team was aggressive defense that would deny passing lanes and make it hard to get to the rim.
It was particularly galling against Northern Iowa, when South Carolina had a late lead but couldn’t hold on because it couldn’t stop Northern Iowa’s penetration.
“They came down and they got the ball in the paint almost every single play,” Martin said. “They didn’t settle for (jump shots). They said we’re going to put the ball in the paint and we’re going to get to the foul line.”
2. More defense
It’s not like the interior defense has been stellar either. Somewhat surprisingly, South Carolina is averaging 5.3 blocks per game, good for 37th in the nation and better than last season. But that statistic is misleading. Sometimes the threat of a blocked shot is as effective as an actual block, and there is no shot-blocking threat like Chris Silva who makes opposing players think twice about going to the rim. Maik Kotsar is leading South Carolina with 1.3 blocks per game, and freshman Wildens Leveque is averaging 1.2 in just 12.2 minutes per game. Leveque could be that rim protector South Carolina needs. He has the size and athleticism to do it, but his lack of knowledge of the defense as a whole is holding him back, as is the adjustment to playing against players as big and stronger than he is.
“When you don’t get to just jump and chase the ball, when you have to actually outwork somebody,” Martin said. “With our young guys we’re battling that.”
3. I know him
Junior point guard Jair Bolden will be facing off against his former team. Bolden played two seasons at George Washington before transferring to South Carolina and sitting out last season. Bolden averaged 4.8 points and 1.9 assists as a freshman, and then 11.2 points and 3.1 assists as a sophomore. Bolden is averaging 10.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.9 assists this season, and has been a reliable presence in the starting lineup. Martin said he’s still learning how to put Bolden in the best position to succeed, but he likes what he’s seen.
“His numbers probably looked better at GW,” Martin said, “but he’s a more efficient player now.”
4. Christmas Vacation Day
The Gamecocks are holding a “Christmas Vacation Day” promotion to mark the 30th anniversary of the movie Christmas Vacation. There is a Cousin Eddie "Real Nice" ticket package that includes four tickets for just $30 (that you probably would have already purchased if you were interested. The first 250 fans will receive a free limited-edition Cousin Eddie Gamecock dickey, there will be Christmas music, and Christmas Vacation trivia and in-game contests. The concession stands will also sell eggnog.
5. Scouting the Colonials
The Colonials are a good team to try to get back on track against. They are just 3-4 on the season, although they did beat Evansville, which beat Kentucky, so there’s that. They have played a very light schedule - the Gamecocks are the first power conference opponent, without wins to show for it. Not much has changed for the team that went 9-24 last season and lost 90-55 to the Gamecocks.
But George Washington is a decent three point shooting team (33.1 percent) which has to worry South Carolina. George Washington is led by guard Armel Potter, averaging 12.5 points, and forward Arnaldo Toro, who is averaging 12.3 points and 12.5 rebounds, but has been limited by injuries. There is also a familiar name on the roster, guard Jameer Nelson, Jr., who is the son of former St. Joe’s great Jameer Nelson. He is averaging 9.0 points per game so far in his freshman season.
The Ws
Who: South Carolina vs George Washington
When: Sunday, December 1, 2:00 pm
Where: Colonial Life Arena
Watch: SEC Network+
