SOUTH CAROLINA MEN’S BASKETBALL

South Carolina hosts Kentucky as it continues to search for its first SEC win.

1. Couisnard’s back

It’s tough to say how much of a difference Jermaine Couisnard’s absence made against Florida. There’s certainly no guarantee he would have changed the outcome, but after what he did against Tennessee it’s hard not to wonder “What if?”

Cousinard had 15 points, three steals, two assists and two rebounds. In that rock fight, those are significant numbers, but he meant more than just stats. Couisnard was the only player that seemed capable of driving and making a layup. He was the only one that could get any sort of offense initiated, and he had some fire, even though it led to a technical foul.

“We’ve got no personality at the guard spot,” Frank Martin said. “The only guy that gives us personality is Jermaine.

Couisnard isn’t necessarily a natural point guard, but he is the Gamecocks’ best passer. He’s still prone to lapses, but Couisnard has Martin’s confidence at the guard spot.

“He’s probably got the best understanding of what I want, and the loudest voice, and the most aggressive game of all our guards,” Martin said.

2. Layups and free throws

Here’s the shot chart from the Tennessee game. Just for fun I circled the most important part:

That’s 18 missed dunks and layups, plus two more at the rim that didn’t quite make the cut. Now add in the 13-22 free throw shooting, including 7-15 in the second half. If you can’t make a layup, or a free throw, you’d better make a lot of threes. Nope: 2-13. Really, you could live with that shooting if you are getting the ball to the rim, which South Carolina did. But You have to finish the play, and South Carolina simply wasn’t able to do that.

3. More AJ

Going into the Tennessee game, I mentioned that South carolina needed more from AJ Lawson. I’m going to say it again. Lawson had one of those games, going 0-7 with just four points, and four of those missed layups. He is, it is fair to say, now in a full-fledged slump. Over the last three games, all losses, Lawson is 6-29 shooting (20.7 percent), 5-16 from three (31.3 percent), with ten turnovers, and averaging just eight points per game.

You can debate the number of three-pointers Lawson is taking (six against Stetson and eight against Florida are a little high), but the most frustrating part is that even when he does attack the rim, like he did at Tennessee, Lawson just can’t get shots to fall.

4. Frustration

Lawson isn’t alone with frustration. Three straight losses, each a winnable game, have the Gamecocks precariously close to a point where frustration boils over and the season becomes a lost cause.

Martin didn’t deny the frustration Monday, and said he understands where it comes from. But the Gamecocks can’t let it take over.

“We’re that close,” Martin said.

5. Scouting the Wildcats

Kentucky was the preseason #2, but they haven’t lived up to those expectations. But then, in this topsy-turvy season, who has? The Wildcats have worked their way back into the top ten, and have improved since the beginning of the season, They are flawed, but, again, who isn’t?

This isn’t what you typically think of with a Kentucky team. They don’t score particularly well (74.8 points, 114th in the country), or shoot the three that well (32.1 percent). But they defend well (62.5 points allowed), and have a point guard who gets Kentucky organized.

Sophomore Ashton Hagans is averaging 13.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, and a whopping 7.3 assists per game. His leads the SEC in assists per game and is eighth in the country. His passing ability gets teammates open shots. The Wildcats are shooting 46.2 percent from the floor, third in the SEC. South Carolina hasn’t defended the perimeter well this season, and Couisnard will likely draw the assignment of disrupting Hagans.

“They are driving to create fouls and shoot free throws and create lobs and missed shots, offensive rebounds,” Martin said. “Ashton is wired to compete. (...) He loves challenges, hard -nosed defensively, bringing the ball up the court against him is a challenge, he disrupts your point of entry on offense.”

“We have to offset the intangibles that Ashton brings.”

The Ws

Who: South Carolina (8-7, 0-2) vs #10 Kentucky (12-3, 3-0)

When: Wednesday, January 15, 6:30 pm

Where: Colonial Life Arena

Watch: SEC Network