Gamecocks Host USC Upstate In Season Opener Tuesday

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina opens the 2021-22 campaign on Tuesday when it hosts USC Upstate in the season lidlifter for both schools at 7 p.m. ET at Colonial Life Arena.  The meeting is the first between the intrastate opponents since the 2018-19 season opener, a 65-52 Gamecock win at Colonial Life Arena.

GAME INFORMATION
ARENA: Colonial Life Arena (18,00)
BROADCAST: SEC Network+
  PLAY-BY-PLAY: Dave Weinstein
  ANALYST: John Williams
RADIO: Gamecock Radio Network
  IN COLUMBIA: 1320 AM (pregame)/107.5 The Game (in progress following women’s game)
  PLAY-BY-PLAY: Derek Scott
  ANALYST: Casey Manning
  SIRIUS: – | XM: 391 | SXM APP: 981
WATCH: WatchESPN/ESPN App
LIVE STATS: GamecocksOnline.com
  SERIES: Gamecocks lead 4-1
  IN COLUMBIA: Carolina leads 4-1
  SERIES TREND: The teams have split the last two meetings
  LAST MEETING: 65-52 Carolina win on Nov. 6, 2018, in Columbia
 
TIPOFF NOTABLES
> South Carolina opens the 2021-22 campaign on Tuesday when it hosts USC Upstate in the season lidlifter for both schools.  The meeting is the first between the intrastate opponents since the 2018-19 season opener, a 65-52 Gamecock win at Colonial Life Arena.
> The Gamecocks are 83-30 all-time in season openers and they look to rebound after suffering a 78-62 loss to Liberty in last season’s opener at the Hall of Fame Classic event in Kansas City.  Frank Martin is 13-1 in season lidlifters during his career as a head coach (5-0 at Kansas State, 8-1 at Carolina).
> Head coach Frank Martin is in his 10th season leading the Gamecocks.  He is assisted by associate head coach Chuck Martin (fifth season), assistant coaches Will Bailey (second season) and Brian Steele (first season), and the director of operations is Andy Assaley (10th season). 
> South Carolina posted a 101-76 exhibition win vs. Benedict on Nov. 4.  James Reese V led all scorers with 21 in the contest.
> The 2021-22 campaign is the 20th season of basketball at Colonial Life Arena.  The facility opened just prior to the 2002-03 campaign.
> South Carolina returns three of its top five scorers from a season ago, including senior forward Keyshawn Bryant (14.4 ppg), junior guard Jermaine Couisnard (10.1 ppg) and junior forward Wildens Leveque (6.1 ppg).
> Junior guard Jermaine Couisnard is Carolina’s top returning assist maker after averaging 3.2 per game last season.  For his career, Couisnard has 28 games with three or more assists, including his career high of 10, which he set in a home win over Mississippi State on March 3, 2020.
> The Gamecocks welcome nine newcomers to the team this season, including a trio of freshmen in Devin Carter, Ta’Quan Woodley and Jacobi Wright.  Six transfers are also set for their first season at Carolina in Chico Carter Jr. (Murray State), Josh Gray (LSU), Brandon Martin (USC Upstate), James Reese V (North Texas), Erik Stevenson (Washington) and AJ Wilson (George Mason).
 
SCOUTING THE SPARTANS
> Head coach Dave Dickerson is in his fourth season leading USC Upstate.
> Dalvin White is the Spartans’ top returning scorer and assist maker, after averaging 9.3 points and 3.0 assists per game last season.
> Bryson Mozone is the top returning rebounder after collecting 3.7 rebounds per game last season.
> USC Upstate was 5-18 last season, with all five wins coming in conference play.
 
EXHIBITION RECAP
> South Carolina posted a 101-76 win over Benedict Nov. 4 at Colonial Life Arena in exhibition action.
> Gamecock guard James Reese V led all scorers with 21 points, behind nine made field goals, including a trio of 3s in the contest.
> Senior guard Erik Stevenson added 14, connecting on a game high four makes from 3-point range. Rookie guard Devin Carter added 13, and sophomore forward Josh Gray scored 10.
> Gray was dominant on the boards, collecting 12 rebounds including four on the offensive glass.
> Returning junior forward Wildens Leveque battled foul trouble in the matchup, but he was 4-of-4 from the floor, with four rebounds and two blocks in 15 minutes of action.
> As a team, Carolina hit 56.6% from the floor, connecting on 43-of-76 attempts.  The Gamecocks were also solid at the free throw line, hitting 6-of-7 (85.7%) from the stripe.
 
NUMBERS OF NOTE
3,018 – South Carolina’s six incoming transfer student-athletes have combined to score 3,018 points during their college careers, led by Erik Stevenson’s 826 career points. 
212 – AJ Wilson saw action in 114 games during his career at George Mason.  As a junior, Wilson set GMU’s all-time record for blocks in a single season with 92, and he concluded his career as the school’s all-time record holder in the category with 212 blocks. 
87.3% – James Reese V enters action this season having hit 62 of his 71 career attempts at the foul line, 87.3 percent.  Reese was 15-of-16 (93.8%) at the line as a freshman at Buffalo, 23-of-24 (95.8%) as a junior at North Texas, and he was 24-of-31 (77.4%) at the free throw line for the Mean Green last season.
 
UP NEXT
> South Carolina travels to Asheville for weekend action in the Asheville Championship.  Carolina will face Princeton on Friday evening in a 9:30 PM contest, before facing either Western Kentucky or Minnesota on Sunday.  Mark Neely (pxp) and Robbie Hummel (analyst) will have the weekend call on the ESPN family of networks.