Dec. 3, 2010

The South Carolina men’s basketball team (5-1) will entertain intrastate rival Clemson (5-2) on Sunday at Colonial Life Arena. Tip time is set for 4 p.m., with the game televised on Fox Sports.

GAME INFORMATION
Date: Sunday, December 5, 2010
Tipoff: 4:06 p.m. ET
Location: Columbia, S.C.
Arena: Colonial Life Arena (18,000)
Series: South Carolina leads 86-74
Television: FSCR (Fox Sports Carolinas)
Talent: Chip Caray (pxp), Eddie Fogler (analyst)
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. Clemson

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 31-8 (.794) home record during his two-plus seasons in Columbia and an 8-16 (.333) mark in road contests.
– Four Gamecocks scored in double figures vs. Delaware State, led by junior forward Malik Cooke, sophomore forward Lakeem Jackson and freshman guard Brian Richardson with 12 points each. Senior forward Johndre Jefferson chipped in 11 points off the bench.
– In the most recent NCAA statistics (games through Nov. 28), South Carolina leads the nation with 49.2 rebounds per game. Texas State (49.0) and Southern Mississippi (48.3) rank second and third, respectively.
– After out-rebounding Delaware State, 33-30, the Gamecocks have now out-rebounded each of their opponents this season. The only other SEC opponent to out-rebound each of its opponents this season is Auburn.
– Carolina’s 66.7 (16-24) shooting percentage in the second half vs. Delaware State was its highest effort in a half this season, while the Gamecocks’ 51.8 shooting percentage for the game was its second-highest of the season (53.0% vs. Elon).
– 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.
– Carolina’s +8.7 rebounding margin ranks third in the SEC. The Gamecocks finished last in the SEC in the category during the 2009-10 season.
– In the SEC, South Carolina ranks third in scoring (78.3) first in rebounding offense (46.5) and third in steals (8.8).
– Junior forward Malik Cooke ranks sixth in the SEC in rebounding (8.5), and second in offensive rebounds per game (4.0).
– Freshman guard Bruce Ellington ranks fourth in the SEC in assists (4.8), and sophomore forward Lakeem Jackson ranks tied for second in steals (2.2).
– 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.
– South Carolina is 275-263 (.511) 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 is 280-401 (.411) all-time against current schools in the ACC. The last Gamecock victory over an ACC opponent came in a 69-68 overtime win over Florida State in the Postseason NIT during the 2005-06 campaign. Carolina’s last loss to an ACC opponent came in an 85-76 loss at Boston College on Dec. 30, 2009.

Scouting Clemson
– Led by first-year head coach Brad Brownell, Clemson enters Sunday’s contest with a 5-2 record on the year. The Tigers most recently dropped a 69-61 decision to Michigan in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge on Tuesday night.
– Clemson was picked to finish seventh in the ACC by the media prior to the start of the 2010-11 season.
– Senior guard Demontez Stitt paces the Tigers with 13.3 points per outing. He scored 11 in Clemson’s most recent game vs. Michigan. Junior guard Andre Young contributes 10.1 points per game, as Stitt and Young are the only two Tigers averaging double-figure points entering Sunday’s contest.
– Clemson has failed to reach the 70-point plateau in each of its last five games. Its highest point total in the stretch was 69 points, which it reached in a 69-55 win over Long Beach State and in a 69-54 victory over SC State.

By The Numbers
– 66.7% – Carolina’s 66.7 field goal percentage (16-24) in the second half vs. Delaware State was the highest field goal percentage in a half for Carolina since a 17-25 (.680) effort in the second half in a 75-56 win over Presbyterian on Dec. 23, 2008.
– 7 – Freshman guard Brian Richardson hit 7-of-8 free throw attempts vs. Delaware State. It was the most made free throws by a Gamecock this season, and the second-most attempts (Ellington, 9 attempts at Michigan State).
– 4 – Carolina’s four 3’s vs. Delaware State matched a season low. The Gamecocks also hit just four vs. USC Upstate.
– 3.5 – After blocking just four shots in the first four games of the season, senior forward Sam Muldrow has blocked seven shots combined in the last two games – four vs. WKU and three vs. Delaware State – for an average of 3.5 blocks over his last two games.
– 25 – Carolina’s 25 points off turnovers vs. Delaware State marked a season high. Carolina forced DSU into 16 turnovers in the contest, while collecting nine steals, led by sophomore forward Lakeem Jackson with three.
– 34.5% – South Carolina’s opponents own a 34.5 field goal percentage in contests at Colonial Life Arena this season.

Clemson Series Information
– South Carolina owns an 86-74 upperhand in the all-time series between the intrastate rivals, including a 52-27 advantage in games played in Columbia.
– The schools played on a regular basis prior to and during South Carolina’s time in the ACC, before a five-year break in the series (1972-1977). The teams have met at least once in every season since the 1977-78 campaign.
– Clemson has won the last six contests between the two schools, including its most recent win, a 72-61 win over the Gamecocks on Dec. 6, 2009, at Littlejohn Coliseum. South Carolina’s last win in the series came during the 2003-04 campaign, defeating the Tigers on the road, 76-61.

Jefferson Provides Scoring Spark vs. DSU
– Senior forward Johndre Jefferson scored 11 points vs. Delaware State marking the second double-figure scoring contest of his career. Jefferson was scoreless in five minutes of action in the first half, but he was solid around the rim in the second half, scoring 11 points and collecting two rebounds. He scored 10 of those points in a 15-4 Gamecock run late in the game.