Feb. 6, 2015

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina travels to Vanderbilt on Saturday, facing its former SEC East foe for the first time in Nashville since March 2013. Saturday’s game will be broadcast on FSN with Pete Pranica (pxp) and Sean Tuohy (analyst) on the call. The Gamecocks are 10-15 all-time in games played against the Commodores in the Music City.

GAME INFORMATION
Game Date: Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015
Game Time: 4 p.m. ET
Arena: Memorial Gymnasium (14,316)
Broadcast: FSN/ESPN3/WatchESPN
Talent: Pete Pranica (pxp), Sean Tuohy (analyst)
Radio: Gamecock Radio Network
Talent: Andy Demetra (pxp), Casey Manning (analyst)
Sirius: N/A; XM: N/A
Series: Vanderbilt leads 28-25
Last Meeting: 65-59 Carolina win, Feb. 13, 2014, in Columbia, S.C.

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GAME STORYLINES
– South Carolina is in its 107th season of varsity basketball in 2014-15.
– The Gamecocks are led by third-year head coach Frank Martin. His associate head coach is Matt Figger, his assistant coaches are Perry Clark and Lamont Evans, and his director of operations is Andy Assaley.
– Undermanned due to injuries, the Gamecocks suffered a 75-55 setback on the road at Arkansas on Tuesday. Sophomore guard Sindarius Thornwell posted a team high 16 points in the game, including a pair of 3s in the first half. The Gamecocks struggled offensively, hitting just 27.9 percent from the field.
– Sophomomore guard Justin McKie and sophomore forward Demetrius Henry have missed the last three games (at LSU, vs. Georgia, at Arkansas) due to a concussion.
– Freshman guard/forward Shamiek Sheppard did not play at Arkansas due to fluid on his right knee.
– The Gamecocks are 10-15 all-time in games played against Vanderbilt in Nashville. Carolina’s last road win in the series was a 77-73 win at Memorial Gym on March 6, 2010.
– Then-freshman Sindarius Thornwell led the Gamecocks with 19 points and six rebounds in last season’s 65-59 win vs. Vandy. That game, originally scheduled for Feb. 12, had to be moved to Feb. 13 due to winter weather in the Columbia area. South Carolina collected 26 offensive rebounds in that contest, scoring 23 second-chance points.
– South Carolina snapped a four-game losing streak on Jan. 31 with a 67-50 victory over visiting Georgia at Colonial Life Arena. Four Gamecocks scored in double-figures in that contest, led by 12 from junior forward Laimonas Chatkevicius. Sophomore guards Sindarius Thornwell (10) and Duane Notice (11), and senior guard Tyrone Johnson (10) also scored in double figures. Junior forward Michael Carrera led the Gamecocks for the fourth straight game on the glass, pulling down a game high nine rebounds.
– The Gamecocks held Georgia to just 22.0 percent (11-50) from the field, including just a 4-of-25 (16.0%) mark in the second half. Both figures set new Gamecock records for lowest opponent field goal percentage in a single half and for a game in the SEC regular season. It is also the lowest field goal percentage by a Gamecock opponent since the addition of the 3-point basket in college basketball.
– The Gamecocks are in their 24th season of competition in the Southeastern Conference in 2015. Carolina owns a 140-241 (.367) all-time record in SEC play.
– Frank Martin owns a 61-66 (.480) all-time record in conference games.
– South Carolina has victories this season over three teams in the top 30 of the RPI (Feb. 5) in Iowa State (15), Georgia (26) and Oklahoma State (29).

SCOUTING VANDERBILT
Vanderbilt enters Saturday’s contest with a 12-10 overall record, including a 2-7 mark in SEC play after posting a 67-61 win over Florida at Memorial Gym on Tuesday. That win over the Gators snapped a seven-game losing streak. Vandy’s other SEC win came in its league opener vs. Auburn. Two Commodores are averaging double figures entering the matchup with Carolina. Sophomore center Damian Jones leads the team and is eighth in the league with 15.1 points per game, and freshman guard Riley LaChance adds 12.5 points per outing. Often among SEC leaders in field goal percent, the Commodores currently lead the league and rank 41st nationally in field goal percent, hitting 46.9 percent from the field this season. They also lead the league in 3-point field goal percent (37.1) and are third in assists per game (15.1). Head coach Kevin Stallings is in his 16th season at Vanderbilt.

VANDERBILT SERIES
Vanderbilt owns a 28-25 upperhand in the all-time series with South Carolina that dates back to February 1927. The Commodores own a 15-10 advantage in games played in Nashville. Vandy had won five straight in the series before South Carolina’s 65-59 win in Columbia last season.

BY THE #’S
3 – Junior forward Laimonas Chatkevicius blocked three shots in Tuesday’s contest at Arkansas, marking the sixth time this season, and the second-straight game, that he has blocked at least three shots in a game.
10 – Junior forward Mindaguas Kacinas pulled down a team high 10 rebounds at Arkansas. It marked the fouth double-figure rebounding effort of the season for Kacinas, and his sixth time this season leading, or sharing the team lead in rebounding.
10/6 – Rookie guard Marcus Stroman matched a season high with 10 points at Arkansas and dished an SEC season best six assists. For the season, he averages 4.9 points and a team high 3.5 assists per game.
9.2 – Over the course of the last five games, junior forward Michael Carrera has led the team in rebounding in four of those contests, averaging 9.2 rebounds and 7.2 points per game over the stretch.
4th – South Carolina ranks fourth in the SEC in average home attendance, as an average of 11,583 fans attend Carolina home games this season.
3rd – South Carolina ranks third in scoring defense in the SEC (overall games), as opponents average just 61.1 points per game.
3rd – The Gamecocks rank third in the SEC (overall games) in free throw percent, hitting 72.7 percent at the charity stripe this season.
83.8% – Senior guard Tyrone Johnson ranks fifth in the SEC (overall games) in free throw percent, as he has hit 57-of-68 attempts this season for a mark of 83.8%.

UP NEXT
After two-straight road contests, South Carolina returns to Colonial Life Arena to host Missouri on Tuesday. Game time is set for 7 p.m. ET on the SEC Network. Missouri won last season’s meeting between the two schools, 82-74 in Columbia, Mo.

AUTISM SPEAKS
South Carolina head coach Frank Martin and his coaching staff will all be wearing a blue puzzle piece pin for “Autism Speaks” at Saturday’s game vs. Vandy. Coaches Powering Forward for Autism benefitting Autism Speaks is in its second season and is intended to drive awareness and funds for the 1 in 68 children on the autism spectrum.