When Frank Martin was recruiting Seventh Woods out of high school, he remembers exactly the message the Gamecocks delivered: if he came to South Carolina Martin would work “every single day” to bring the aggression out of him.
Wednesday, almost four years later, Martin is beginning to see signs of it.
Woods played arguably the best game of his season in South Carolina’s 72-66 win over Florida, showcasing that aggression Martin’s tried to extract out of him since he arrived on campus.
“Seeing him play with aggression, that’s the stuff I saw him play with at Hammond in high school,” Martin said postgame. “He’s been playing more aggressive and more aggressive. It’s fun to watch.”
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Woods finished with 12 points, all of which came in the second half, and it was the most points for him since scoring 14 against Gonzaga Dec. 15, 2019. He’s scored double digit points in consecutive games for the first time in his career.
He’d pick up the Gamecocks’ go-ahead bucket late in the game and finish with just one turnover while shooting 6-for-10 from the field.
“When Seventh is playing with confidence he’s going to score, he’s going to assist and is going to be a good teammate and play defense,” AJ Lawson said. “That’s another threat on the court that we need.”
Where Woods was insanely valuable was on the defensive side of the ball guarding one of the better players in the SEC in Florida’s Tre Mann.
Mann scored 17 points but did it inefficiently, shooting 6-for-16. Woods would finish with a defensive box plus-minus of 7.2, the highest of his season.
“How about him guarding Tre Mann and getting over those ball screens one after the other after the other after the other?” Martin said. “Everything starts with your point guard. When your point guard plays well defensively and point guard plays aggressive on offense it gives your team a chance.”
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But outside of Woods the Gamecocks got production from Jermaine Couisnard on both ends and the two were vital to South Carolina closing out the game.
The two were plus-26 when on the court at the same time, including being on the court together as the Gamecocks ended the game on a 13-1 run.
Couisnard started hot from the field, finishing with nine points, but had a 3.9 defensive box plus-minus, his highest in SEC play.
“He had his most consistent defensive game of the year. He was on it and made some really hard plays defensively,” Martin said of Couisnard.
“Him and Keyshawn (Bryant) have been by far the two most committed voices. The day before Vanderbilt we were all bad but outside of that those two guys have been the most consistent voices and effort in trying to help us connect to make us play for each other and stay in a positive place."
