MBB: USC hosts Coastal Carolina
SOUTH CAROLINA MEN’S BASKETBALL
The Gamecocks will try to bounce back from the loss to Wofford against another in-state opponent Friday, when they host Coastal Carolina.
Getting past Wofford
Losing to Wofford, a good mid-major team would not have been good, but it would have been understandable (“I got duped into playing them,” Frank Martin said, later telling Wofford coach Mike Young, “I’m never talking to you again!” as the Terriers left Colonial Life Arena.) But losing by 20 and being controlled down the stretch is the sort of loss that can linger.
There weren’t many positives to take away from the game. Wofford shot better, defended better, rebounded better. South Carolina shot more free throws, and Felipe Haase and Maik Kotsar each had a season-high 13 points, but that’s pretty much it.
South Carolina gets its best play from its freshman, which is encouraging for the future, but discouraging for seniors Chris Silva and Hassani Gravett, and junior Kotsar.
“It’s my job to make sure guys do what they are supposed to do,” Martin said. “Where it gets a little frustrating for me is when I call plays that have been called the same thing, the same action I’ve been calling for three or four years, the two guys with the most starts would understand what those plays are.
Missing Minaya
South Carolina announced before the Wofford game that sophomore Justin Minaya would be out indefinitely with a knee injury. Martin said that Minaya had two surgery options, one that would end his season and one that could allow Minaya to return as early as January. Minaya opted for the latter, and was scheduled to undergo surgery this week. Martin said on his call-in show that he expects Minaya to miss six weeks.
When discussing what Minaya means to the Gamecocks, Martin repeatedly compared him to former Gamecock Sindarius Thornwell. The comparison is a bit of a stretch, but there are definitely some similarities. Both are very good defenders and both have a versatility that allows Martin to adjust lineups to put other players in the best position to succeed.
For example, against Wofford Minaya normally would have defended the Terriers’ best player, guard Fletcher Magee. With Minaya out, Hassani Gravett drew the assignment, and although he did an outstanding job on Magee, weakness were exposed elsewhere. Junior Nathan Hoover took advantage of freshman A.J. Lawson, scoring a career-high 30.
“We lost that matchup by 30 points,” Martin said. “You get a good shooter going, and when you get a good shooter going, it’s over.”
Freshman debut
Alson his weekly call-in show Martin said that freshman Alanzo Frink will play Friday. Frink injured his knee in preseason practice and missed the first six games of the season. Frink warmed up with the team Monday but did not dress.
Frink was a three-star recruit that Martin is extremely high on. At 6-6 and 265 pounds, Frink is a physical post presence. Martin has blamed slows starts to the season by Chris Silva and Maik Kotsar in part on Frink’s absence in practice, saying that Frink forced them to be sharp in practice.
Scouting the Chanticleers
Coastal Carolina is 4-3 on the season, but the wins have come against Ferrum, Campbell, Methodist, and UNC Asheville, not exactly a basketball gauntlet. Coastal Carolina is led by senior forward Zac Cuthbertson, who is averaging 19.9 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. In the game between the two teams last season, Cuthbertson was held largely in check, scoring 11 points and grabbing four rebounds.
Coastal Carolina nearly pulled off the upset in that game, leading by as much as five in the second half before Gravett made a game-winning layup with six second left. Coastal Carolina shot 46 percent from the floor and 42 percent from three in that game and outrebounded South Carolina.
The Ws
Who: South Carolina vs Coastal Carolina
When: Friday, November 30, 7:00 pm
Where: Colonial Life Arena
Watch: SEC Network
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