Dec. 10, 2010

The South Carolina men’s basketball team (6-1) will host Wofford (4-5) on Saturday evening at Colonial Life Arena. The contest, the first for the Gamecocks since the start of exams, will tip off at 7 p.m.

GAME INFORMATION
Date: Saturday, December 11, 2010
Tipoff: 7:00 p.m. ET
Location: Columbia, S.C.
Arena: Colonial Life Arena (18,000)
Series: South Carolina leads 41-19
Television: The game is NOT televised
Radio: Gamecock Radio Network
(107.5 FM – Columbia/GamecocksOnline.com)
Talent: Andy Demetra (pxp), Casey Manning (analyst)
Live Stats: GamecocksOnline.com
Tickets: Tickets are available via the Gamecock Ticket Office (1-800-4SC-FANS)

Game Notes vs. Wofford

Carolina Quick Hits
– South Carolina is in its 103rd season of basketball.
– The Gamecocks are led by third-year head coach Darrin Horn.
– Horn has led South Carolina to a 32-8 (.800) home record during his two-plus seasons in Columbia and an 8-16 (.333) mark in road contests.
– South Carolina snapped a six-game losing streak to its archrival Clemson last Sunday, defeating the Tigers, 64-60, behind four Gamecocks in double figures, led by freshman point guard Bruce Ellington with 14.
– Carolina’s 5.4 blocked shots per game ranks fifth in the SEC and 31st in the nation (games through Dec. 5).
– South Carolina’s 9.0 steals per game – led by SEC leader Lakeem Jackson with 2.3 per outing (44th in the nation) – ranks third in the SEC and 40th in the nation.
– South Carolina’s 44.3 rebounds per game lead the SEC and rank fourth in the nation. Only Texas State (48.3), Southern Mississippi (47.7) and Pittsburgh (45.7) collect more rebounds per contest than the Gamecocks.
– Carolina’s +6.7 rebounding margin ranks sixth in the SEC. The Gamecocks finished last in the SEC in the category during the 2009-10 season.
– Junior forward Malik Cooke ranks tied for eighth in the SEC in rebounding (8.0), and third in offensive rebounds per game (3.6).
– Freshman guard Bruce Ellington ranks fourth in the SEC in assists (4.4), and first among freshmen in the category.
– Ellington ranks ninth nationally in assists per game among freshmen.
– South Carolina collected 55 rebounds in its win over USC Upstate, the most rebounds for a Gamecock squad since collecting 57 boards in a 64-41 win over Wofford on Dec. 2, 1996.
– Horn led Carolina to an 87-85 double overtime win over his alma mater, Western Kentucky, on Nov. 27. The win was Carolina’s first on the road this season and its first double overtime contest – win or loss – since the 1993 season.
– South Carolina is 276-263 (.512) all-time in the month of December. The Gamecocks went 3-3 during the month last season.
– The 2009-10 Gamecocks concluded their 19th season of competition in the SEC with a 6-10 record. South Carolina owns an overall record of 122-182 (.401) all-time in SEC play.
– South Carolina owns a 280-127 (.687) all-time record against current schools in the Southern Conference. Carolina’s last loss to a SoCon opponent came in a 68-61 decision at Wofford on Dec. 19, 2009. The Gamecocks’ 81-57 win over Furman (Dec. 21, 2009) marks their last win over an opponent from the league.

Scouting Wofford
– Wofford enters Saturday’s matchup with a 4-5 record on the year, having most recently defeated UNC Greensboro (92-70) and Elon (75-69) during its current two-game winning streak.
– 2010 Southern Conference Player of the Year Noah Dahlman paces the Terriers with 19.8 points per game – third in the league. Senior forward Tim Johnson paces the team with 9.0 rebounds per outing.
– Senior guard Jamar Diggs and Dahlman were both named to the Preseason All-SoCon team.
– Wofford owns a 1-3 record in games played on the road this season, with its lone road win coming in its most recent contest at Elon.
– The Terriers rank 284th in the nation with 32.6 rebounds per game.

By The Numbers
– 5 – Senior forward Sam Muldrow blocked a season high five shots in the victory over Clemson last Sunday. It marked the most blocks in a game for Muldrow since also blocking five shots in the SEC Tournament vs. Alabama on March 11, 2010.
– 4 – Junior forward Malik Cooke swiped a season-best four steals vs. Clemson. Only one other time this season (Bruce Ellington, four vs. Michigan State) has a South Carolina player collected four steals in a contest.
– 70 – South Carolina’s game vs. Wofford will mark Darrin Horn’s 70th game as the head coach at South Carolina.
– 6-1 – With the win over Clemson last Sunday, South Carolina secured its third-straight 6-1 start to a season.
– 12 – South Carolina’s 12 turnovers vs. Clemson marked a season low.

Wofford Series Information
– South Carolina owns a 41-19 upperhand in the all-time series with Wofford, including a 29-7 advantage in games played in Columbia.
– Wofford defeated South Carolina last season, 68-61, in Spartanburg. The win was the first for the Terriers over the Gamecocks since the 1939 season.
– South Carolina has won 23 of the last 24 meetings between the two schools.

Up Next For The Gamecocks
– South Carolina travels to face No. 2/2 Ohio State on Dec. 18 in Columbus. The teams have met two previous times with the all-time record tied at 1-1, as both teams won on their respective home court.