Nov. 1, 2013

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina welcomes USC Aiken to Colonial Life Arena for the lone exhibition contest of the season for the Gamecocks on Sunday. Led by second-year head coach Frank Martin, Carolina embarks on the season with a young roster, which includes seven freshmen. Martin and the Gamecocks host Longwood on Nov. 9 in the 2013 season opener.

OPENING TIP
Date: Sunday, Nov. 3, 2013
Tipoff: 2 p.m. ET
Location: Columbia, S.C.
Arena: Colonial Life Arena (18,000)
Series: No regular-season meetings
Last Meeting: No regular-season meetings
Radio: The exhibition game will not be broadcast on the radio
Sirius: None; XM: None
Talent: N/A
Tickets: Admission to the exhibition is free
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Carolina Quick Hits
– South Carolina is in its 106th season of basketball.
– The Gamecocks are led by Frank Martin in his second year. Matt Figger is the associate head coach and Perry Clark and Lamont Evans are assistant coaches. Andy Assaley is in his second year as the director of operations for the Gamecocks.
– South Carolina returns seven letterwinners to its squad this season, including senior guard Brenton Williams, the team’s top returning scorer from a year ago when he averaged 11.0 points per game. Also returning to the bench this season for the Garnet and Black is senior guard Bruce Ellington, who will join the team at the conclusion of the football season, sophomore forwards Michael Carrera, a 2013 SEC All-Freshman Team selection, Laimonas Chatkevicius and Mindaugas Kacinas. Sophomore guard Austin Constables and forward Brian Steele also return for Carolina.
– The Gamecocks will hold a young roster this season, welcoming seven freshmen to Columbia in forwards Demetrius Henry, Desmond Ringer, Reggie Theus Jr., and guards Duane Notice, Justin McKie, Jaylen Shaw and Sindarius Thornwell. Transfer guard Ty Johnson joined the program last January via Villanova and will be eligible to play following the first semester.
– Justin McKie, son of Gamecock great BJ McKie, was named South Carolina Mr. Basketball, and also the Gatorade South Carolina Boys’ Basketball Player of the Year last spring after leading his Irmo squad to the state championship behind a 20-point, 10-rebound performance at Colonial Life Arena.
– South Carolina returns 52.1 percent of its scoring from last season and 47.3 percent of its 3-point field goals.
– Entering the season, senior guard Brenton Williams ranks fourth all-time in the Gamecock record book in 3-point field goal percentage, hitting 39.5 percent of his attempts. He paced the Gamecocks last season hitting just shy of 40 percent from beyond the arc.
– Transfer junior guard Ty Johnson will be elligible to play following the first semester after transfering from Villanova last January. In one season with the Wildcats (2011-12), Johnson averaged 3.3 points and 2.0 assists in 17.7 minutes per game.
– South Carolina will play three of its first five contests of the regular season away from Columbia, with trips to No. 25 Baylor, Clemson and No. 8/12 Oklahoma State.
– South Carolina’s non-conference schedule features 14 games, including seven home contests, plus today’s exhibition. Highlighting the non-conference schedule is a holiday tournament at the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic in late December, and a mid-day contest at Baylor as part of the ESPN College Hoops Marathon in early November. South Carolina also travels to Oklahoma State in early December for the Big 12/SEC Challenge.

Scouting USC Aiken
The USC Aiken men’s basketball team had an outstanding run toward a D-II NCAA Championship a season ago. Head coach Vince Alexander’s team advanced to the Elite Eight, marking the deepest tournament run in USC Aiken’s history. Recently, Division II Bulletin’s preseason national rankings were released and the Pacers earned the No. 4 spot in the poll, the highest-ever ranking in a preseason poll for the program. In terms of experience, USC Aiken heads into the 2013-14 campaign with 10 seniors on the roster and three sophomores who will see the court. Only two of the seniors have been with the program every year of their college experience, but every upperclassman has at least one year of playing in the system under their belt. Senior guard Ron Zimmerman is the team’s top returning scorer with 15.3 points per game last season, and senior guard DeVontae Wright returns as the team’s top assist maker with 3.4 per game a year ago.

Buy Season Tickets!
Fans can purchase tickets by visiting www.GamecocksOnline.com/Tickets, or calling 1-800-4SC-FANS.