Quick Hoops Press Conference Recap

Darrin Horn met with the media on Monday to preview South Carolina's upcoming trip to the SEC tournament. The details:

* "It's a great time of year," Horn began, and not many would disagree. This is the time where there's a chance for every team across the country to shuck their regular season, if it's been sour, and play for the biggest prize in the game.

* The SEC tournament has had two teams win four games in four days to win the title and an NCAA tournament berth recently (Georgia in 2008 and Mississippi State in 2009. Georgia actually won four games in three days). Horn hasn't brought that up yet to South Carolina, which has to do the same to get anywhere, but probably will. The most important thing in tournament time is to simply play one more day.

* Horn wasn't trying to protect Bruce Ellington about his shot decision on the next-to-last possession against Mississippi State, saying the decision and the shot were poor, but he also correctly pointed out that Ellington has won a lot of games for USC this year. And he praised the freshman's want to shoot the game-winner, saying he had played and coached with several players who don't have that same kind of mentality.

* Better decision-making and shot selection is key to beating Ole Miss on Thursday and continuing in the tournament. The Gamecocks are hurting from Saturday, knowing they could have won, and Horn feels it will be motivation.

* Horn was asked about making a potential NCAA tournament appearance next year. He politely declined, saying he'll talk about that after this year is over.