Advertisement
basketball Edit

MBB: Five Things to Watch - Texas A&M

SOUTH CAROLINA BASKETBALL

South Carolina will try to build on its upset of Kentucky with a road trip to Texas A&M

1. Build on momentum

If there is one thing this team has consistently done, it’s being inconsistent. Need I remind you what happened the last time South Carolina beat a top ten opponent? (Hint, it suffered an embarrassing loss to Stetson, team with a current NET ranking of ... 321.)

Texas A&M isn’t as bad as that, but the Aggies aren’t very good either. With a NET ranking of 121, second lowest in the SEC, and an anemic offense, this is a very winnable game. And South Carolina needs to win this game. It can’t afford to squander momentum, both internal and external, like it did after the Virginia win.

“We’ve got to fight to be consistent,” Justin Minaya said. “That’s our next step as a team. No matter what the day is, no matter what the night is, come in and be that same team that plays just as hard.”

2. How about Jermaine?

Martin mused after the Kentucky game that he probably made a mistake not starting Jermaine Couisnard at Tennessee. Through the first half of the season, Martin said several times that even though Couisnard was one of the Gamecocks’ five best players, he liked the energy and consistency he got bringing Couisnard off the bench (with good reason: it seemed like every time Couisnard checked into the game, he scored or made a defensive play within the first minute). But after Couisnard missed the Florida game with a back strain, Martin decided not to change things in Couisnard’s first game back.

Couisnard’s full potential may have finally been realized against Kentucky. It wasn’t just his game-winner, it was his six points during the 9-0 run that sparked the comeback, his defense, his passing, and his determination. Now, like his teammates, Couisnard needs to build on that game and not get complacent. His previous career-high was 16, set twice, and he followed those games up with seven and three points. According to Minaya, Couisnard was focused in practice after the Kentucky game.

“His response has been good,” Minaya said. “He wanted to focus on, it’s SEC play now. We’re going game to game, you don’t have time to get too high on wins or too low on losses. I think Jermaine has done good not getting too high.”

3. Start fast

You know what would be really neat? If the gamecocks got off to a good start and didn’t have to play catch-up the whole game. They fell behind 6-0 to the Hatters and trailed by as much as nine in the first half. They were even with the Gators for most of the first half, but it didn’t feel that way as they shot just 39 percent and allowed the Gators to shoot 50 percent. The Vols were equally miserable in the first half, which doesn’t change the fact that the Gamecocks shot just 35 percent. And of course there was the 0-10 start against the Wildcats. For the last good start, you have to go back to the win over the Cavaliers, when they shot 56 percent in the first half.

4. All About AJ

Somewhat lost in the elation of the win was the fact that South Carolina did it with virtually no production from Maik Kotsar or AJ Lawson. Kotsar’s bad game isn’t too much of a concern: he was hit with two early fouls and played just 12 minutes. He was productive when he was actually in the game, including being the point man on a specially designed play that got South Carolina its first lead.

Lawson on the other hand, is a concern. He is in the midst of a full-fledged shooting slump, going 3-15 against Florida, 0-9 against Tennessee, and 1-7 against Kentucky. He has missed three-pointers, mid-range jumpers, layups, dunks and free throws, including two that would have clinched the Kentucky game and prevented the need for Couisnard’s heroics.

Frank Martin subscribes to the “shoot yourself out of it” theory, and Lawson will continue to get shots. Whether they go in remains to be seen.

“I worry about making sure the right guys are taking shots,” Martin said.

5. Scouting the Aggies

Remember when I said Texas A&M isn’t very good? Let’s expand on that. We know Buzz Williams is a good coach, but he has taken over a program in a deep hole. After several key departures, Billy Kennedy tried to salvage last season with junior college transfers. It didn’t work, and now he’s gone and the Aggies are still trying to build a roster. Williams brought in six freshmen, which gives some hope for the future, but not much help for this season.

The Aggies average just 60.3 points per game, last in the SEC and 343rd in the nation. They shoot under 40 percent from the floor and barely 25 percent from three (which means they’ll likely go something like 12-17 Saturday, if Gamecock history is any indication). The Aggies’ saving grace is their defense, which is allowing just 61.6 points per game, 36th in the country. But if the Gamecocks can hit some shots, like they did against Virginia and the second half against Kentucky, they should be able to win.

The Ws

Who: South Carolina (9-7, 1-2) at Texas A&M (8-7, 2-2)

When: Saturday, January 18, 1:00 pm

Where: Reed Arena, College Station, TX

Watch: SEC Network

Advertisement