South Carolina hosts its final home game of the season Tuesday against Mississippi State, a crucial game for both teams’ postseason hopes.
1. Senior Night #1 - Maik Kotsar
Senior stats: 11.0 points (12.1 in conference), 6.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.5 steals, 1.1 blocks
Career stats: 1,000 points, 661 rebounds, 164 assists, 131 steals, 89 blocks
Career records: 8th in games played (three behind fifth place); 2nd in career starts, needs 23 rebounds and ten steals to enter the top ten.
Career highlights: four-year starter; started most of the season for the 2-17 Final Four team; scored 12 points in the Elite Eight win over Florida; developed into the team’s best player as a senior
Awards: three-time SEC Academic Honor Roll
Kotsar redefined his legacy with his senior season. He was a starter on the 2017 Final Four team as a freshman (a grand total of five men can say they started in the Final Four for South Carolina, and he is one). Kotsar scored 12 points in the Elite Eight win, as the Gators dared him to shoot, and he went 6-10, including a jumper in the go-ahead 6-0 run.
“That 15-foot jump shot. If you look back to his freshman year he made one to send us to the most incredible experience this university has ever had in men’s basketball. If you keep hitting fast forward, his senior year has been full of 15-foot jump shots,” Frank Martin said. “I’ve challenged him a lot, especially the last two years. Last year I was really hard on him because he can be so good. He’s always doubting in himself, and he never ran away from that. He went through his journey.”
Kotsar improved as a sophomore, but as Martin said, his junior season was a disaster. His numbers dropped, his free throw shooting got to be such a liability he couldn’t play in close games, and by the end of the season he was benched. He became Martin’s most frequent and visible punching bag. Not surprisingly, when asked what his message to a freshman would be, Kotsar went with the yelling.
“When Frank’s yelling at you, he’s not yelling at you because he’s mad at you or he doesn’t like you,” said Kotsar, who knows as well as anyone. He’s yelling at you because he wants the best for you. He wants you to be better and he sees that you can be better.”
Kotsar’s senior season got off to a slow start, but since then has been a revelation. On a team filled with freshmen and new pieces, Kotsar has been a steady and occasionally spectacular presence. He had 18 points and 10 rebounds against Florida, 21 and 11 against Missouri, 24 points against Mississippi State, and 19 and 10 against Georgia. He hit the winning free throws against Tennessee and drew a game-clinching charge against Georgia.
“I really haven’t thought about my personal game that much,” Kotsar said. “Obviously I’m trying to better that all the time, but I’m more interested in how the team is doing and trying to get the best out of that. As satisfying as that is, I find more satisfaction in the team winning and the team getting far.”
Martin has been campaigning to get Kotsar named the SEC Defensive Player of the Year. It may be an uphill battle because Kotsar doesn’t block a lot of shots or grab tons of rebounds, although he does get a lot of steals. But Kotsar defends the pick and roll and directs the defense, which matters to Martin.
“We’ve been among the best defensive teams in the country his whole career here, and he’s the common link, always on the court for that,” Martin said.
2. Senior Night #2 - Micaiah Henry
Career stats: 1 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assists, and 1 steal in 8 games
Henry is a graduate transfer from Tennessee Tech who has seen limited playing time. Henry was brought in to provide depth in the post, but he struggled early on to grasp South Carolina’s defense, and he never really found a role on game day.
“Unfortunately from a basketball, game day experience, it hasn’t gone the way he envisioned it or I envisioned it,” Martin said. “But he’s in that practice every day, giving us everything he’s got. The players, he’s earned their respect. They really enjoy him as a teammate.”
Henry said he has no regrets about coming to South Carolina, and embraced his role as a practice player.
“It’s meant a lot to have this experience,” he said. “Being part of the team, playing a role in everything and trying to push everybody to be better in whatever way that I can is something I’ve always done. This is a little different, but I see that these guys are on the edge of something great. I really hope that they get to experience that, and anything I can do to help them get there, I’m doing.
3. SEC standings/Bubble talk
South Carolina is in Joe Lunardi’s Next Four Out. Mississippi State is in the First Four Out.
Mississippi State is tied for fourth in the SEC. South Carolina is a game behind in sixth.
I could write a whole bunch of words about how important this game is, but most of you are smart (although I know for a fact some of you are not. I’ve seen your tweets). You already figured out how important this game is. South Carolina somehow moved into the next four out despite losing to Alabama, but the Gamecocks need wins. So does Mississippi State, so this game is important.
4. Bryant soaring
Keyshawn Bryant is in the midst of the best stretch of his career. He had 22 points and 13 rebounds against Alabama, both career-highs. It was his third consecutive double-double, the first three of his career. Bryant is rebounding the way he has to if he is going to be a small-ball four, and the way Martin has been asking him to. Bryant is also defending well and finding his rhythm on offense instead of just being a dunker (he’s still doing that, of course).
Everything he did well took a backseat in Saturday’s loss to Alabama because of a sequence late in the game. Bryant grabbed a rebound (good), raced upcourt (good), and got into the paint (good). But he forced a quick, off-balance shot even though he had AJ Lawson open on the wing. The shot was no good, and Bryant also bobbled the rebound away. Saturday, Martin said Bryant made a bad play. After watching the film, Martin’s stance softened. He said he was more upset Bryant couldn’t corral the rebound than he was about the missed shot, and accepted that it is part of growing pains as Bryant evolves as a player.
“It’s unfortunate that he missed the shot, and then he grabbed his own rebound and it went through his hands,” Martin said. “That’s a learning moment for Key. Key’s always the guy that runs ahead of people and dunks the ball. That’s what he’s always done. He’s never been the guy with the ball, making decisions. This year, his journey is to grow as the guy with the ball making decisions. He’s had some turnovers this season trying to make plays. I’ve been patient with him because he’s got to learn to do it.”
5. Scouting the Bulldogs
In the first meeting between these two, South Carolina got 24 points from Kotsar, but he had little offensive help for most of the game. Jermaine Couisnard scored 17, mostly during a frantic second half comeback. South Carolina did a good job containing Reggie Perry (10 points, 10 rebounds), but otherwise struggled defensively. Nick Weatherspoon scored 14 of his 18 points in the second half and was able to get free from his man whenever he wanted. He hit several critical shots as whenever South Carolina got close, it either missed a shot, turned the ball over, or gave up a basket.
Mississippi State also shot 36 free throws, making 28. Although that number was inflated when South Carolina had to foul to prolong the game (the Bulldogs made 8-10 in the final minute), it was still twice as many free throws as South Carolina attempted (14-19).
The Ws
Who: South Carolina (17-12, 9-7) vs Mississippi State (19-10, 10-6)
When: Tuesday, March 3, 6:30 pm (Senior Night begins at 6:10 pm)
Where: Colonial Life Arena
Watch: SEC Network