Feb. 17, 2006

Game 25 – Kentucky at South Carolina – Feb. 18, 2006 – Colonial Center (18,000) – Columbia, S.C.

Probable Starters for the Kentucky game (starters from previous game)

South Carolina Gamecocks (14-10, 5-6 SEC)

Kentucky Wildcats (16-9, 6-5 SEC) PPG RPG

Tipoff: 1:38 pm (EST)
TV: CBS (Clark Kellogg, Dick Enberg)
Radio: Gamecock Radio Network
Sirius radio: Channel No. 123
Series Record: UK leads series 35-6
In Columbia: UK leads series 13-4
In Lexington: UK leads series 18-1
Neutral site: UK leads series 4-1
Last Meeting: Kentucky won 80-78 in Lexington on Jan. 21, 2006

South Carolina Information
Coach: Dave Odom (Guilford, 1965)
USC Record:?91-65 (5th year)
Overall Record:?369-239 (20th year)
Record vs. UK: 2-11 (1-3 H, 0-5 A, 1-3 N)

Kentucky Information
Coach: Tubby Smith (High Point, 1973)
UK Record: 235-67 (9th year)
Overall Record: 359-129 (15th year)
Record vs. USC:?23-5

Gamecocks Host Kentucky Sat., Feb. 18 as part of SEC Throwback Week; USC welcomes back former players for reunion

Home Sweet Home and then some! USC, 14-10 and 5-6 in the SEC, will play its third straight SEC game at the Colonial Center for the first time this season when it hosts Kentucky, 16-9 and 6-5 in the SEC, at 1:30 pm on CBS on Sat., Feb. 18. The game is part of the SEC’s Throwback Week and USC’s own Player Reunion Weekend. With both schools looking to keep NCAA Tourney hopes alive, a USC win would put the two at 6-6 and tied for 3rd place in the SEC. A UK win would give it sole possession of 3rd place.

The Kentucky game will be nationally televised on CBS with Clark Kellogg and Dick Enberg handling the call. The game will be carried on the Gamecock Radio Network with Mike Morgan (play-by-play) and Casey Manning (color analyst). The game can also be heard via the internet at www.uscsports.com and on Sirius radio channel 123.

Both teams are coming off wins with USC winning its last three (at No. 6 Florida, vs. MSU, vs. Alabama). USC defeated Alabama 67-56 on ESPN Feb. 14. USC is 7-1 on ESPN/ESPN2 in the past two years. UK snapped a three-game losing streak to defeat Georgia 68-61 Feb. 15 at home (3 losses: at No. 7 UF, No. 11 UT and at Vandy).

Looking back South Carolina’s team has been smarting since Rajan Rondo hit a three-pointer with 1.2 second on the clock at Rupp Arena to win 80-78 on Jan. 21 (see page 3 for recap). The Wildcats might also have revenge on their minds in the Colonial Center, dropping a 73-61 game on ESPN last season (2/15/05).

Us vs. Them
UK leads the series 36-6 – the most lopsided of all SEC series’ Carolina (see series breakdown to the left). In the two’s last meeting in Columbia, South Carolina won 73-61 on Feb. 15, 2005. Carolina is looking for its first-ever back-to-back wins in Columbia against the Wildcats. USC has four of the six wins in the series in Columbia (1933, 1994, 1997, 2005). Four of the last eight games have been decided by seven points or less, but UK has come away with 19 wins in the 21 games the two have played since USC won the SEC title in 1997 by sweeping the series. Both teams are 3-4 vs. the East this year.
A few things about the rivalry:
First Meeting: Feb. 24, 1928 (40-56 in Atlanta, Ga. in the Southern Conference Tournament)
Last Meeting: Jan. 21, 2006 (78-80 in Lexington, Ky.)
Last Five Meetings: 1-4
Last 10 Meetings: 2-8
Most USC Points in Columbia: 84 in 1997 (84-79) OT
Most UK Points in Columbia: 108 in 1993 (108-82)
Largest USC Winning Margin in Columbia: 12 in 2005 (73-61)
Largest UK Winning Margin in Columbia: 33 in 2001 (61-94)

Looking forward to it USC fans will be able to welcome back former Gamecock basketball players in town for the USC Basketball Reunion Weekend on Sat., Feb. 18 prior to the Kentucky game. The gathering will take place on the atrium at the Colonial Center from 12:30 – 1 pm. A number of players from several decades are expected back for the reunion with one of the highlights being a special halftime recognition ceremony. See the USC website for a full list of former players.

What a voice! Miss South Carolina will sing the National Anthem at the UK game.
Erika Grace Powell, a junior vocal performance major at Furman, recently competed at the Miss America pageant where she was the Preliminary Talent Winner and finished in the top 10 at the pageant. She wowed all the judges by singing “Time to Say Goodbye”.

Whose were those?

The Southeastern Conference has established a throwback program for the 2005-06 season and will celebrate Throwback Week from Feb. 18-26. Each of the 12 member institutions will wear throwback jerseys representing various eras during the week.

The uniforms USC will wear on Saturday are patterned after the early 1970’s – specifically 1971. USC was 23-6 and 10-4 in the ACC in 1970-71. John Roche and Tom Owens were named All-ACC. In addition, John Roche was named to a number of All-American teams. The 1971 team won the ACC Tournament with victories over Maryland, NC State and North Carolina. Three players made the ACC All-Tournament team (John Roche, Tom Owens, Tom Riker (2nd team). They then went to the school’s first NCAA Tournament. With a 23-4 record, USC fell 79-64 to undefeated and third-ranked Penn on March 18, 1971. Tom Owens led the Gamecocks with a double double: 16 points, 10 rebounds. USC later lost 100-90 to Fordham in the NCAA Regional Consolation Game. In that game Tom Riker scored 39 points. UK will wear uniforms modeled after those from the late ’70s and early ’80s.

Leading the way
Individually Carolina continues to be led by Tampa’s own Tarence Kinsey, who is averaging a team-leading 15.0 ppg. For stats geeks, Kinsey leads the Gamecocks in scoring in just about every way you can figure it: SEC games (14.2 ppg), wins (14.8 ppg), losses (14.1 ppg), home (15.6 ppg), away (13.9 ppg) and neutral (21.0 ppg). Kinsey is tied with Tre’ Kelley for the team lead with 33.7 mpg.
Kelley is second with 12.0 ppg and 4.3 apg. Renaldo Balkman’s third on the team with 10.4 ppg and 2.2 apg. He leads the team with 1.7 spg and 6.3 rpg. Brandon Wallace is second with 6.0 rpg and 2.4 apg. He is tied for the team lead with Balkman with each blocking 1.4 shots per game and they are also tied as the team’s leaders in dunks with 19 each. Wallace’s three double-doubles match Balkman’s total and top Kinsey’s two.

Kelley’s Killin’ it
Carolina has won five of its last eight games with Tre’ Kelley playing a more beefed-up role offensively. During that span, Kelley has 117 points (14.6 ppg), 48 assists (6 apg), 18 turnovers (2.3 topg), and is shooting 47% (21-of-44) from behind the arc. Before this stretch he led the team in points scored in two games. Carolina was 0-2 in those games, but in this span Carolina is 3-0 when he leads the team in scoring.

Don’t look now, but …
Carolina is on a three-game winning streak. In the three games, the Gamecocks are shooting 52% (85-of-165) from the field, 42% (27-of-64) from behind the arc and have dished out 47 (22 from Kelley) assists as a team. Defensively, Carolina has forced 42 turnovers, 11 blocks, allowing opponents to shoot 44% (64-of-147) from the field, and 29% (16-of-55) from three point range. The last time USC won at least four in the SEC? USC won five straight in SEC play in 2004 (Jan. 10 – Jan. 28).

American Top 50
USC is in the top 50 of six NCAA catagories: No. 23 in personal fouls per game, No. 24 in turnovers per game, No. 35 in three-point field goal %, No. 42 in field goal % and No. 44 in blocked shots per game. Tarence Kinsey is No. 31 in free throw %.

‘Cats — better guard this guy
Tarence Kinsey has scored 38 points on 13-of-23 from the floor in the last two games against Kentucky. He is 8-of-13 from long range in those two games. In addition he has pulled down 10 boards.

Will anyone ever forget?

Tarence Kinsey scored 17 points and Carlos Powell had 12 in the second half to lead South Carolina to a victory over No. 3 Kentucky, 73-61 on Feb. 15, 2005. It was the first home win for the Gamecocks over the Wildcats since 1997, and it was just South Carolina’s sixth victory in 41 meetings against Kentucky.

Fans poured onto the court after the victory, arguably USC’s best in coach Dave Odom’s tenure, and Kinsey stood on press row, slapping high-fives with celebrating students. USC was later fined by the SEC for the on-court post-game celebration.

UK, who had won 19 straight games against SEC opponents, had a season-high 21 turnovers. Chuck Hayes was held to just one point. Kelenna Azubuike led Kentucky with 16 points – five in the second half.

All across the stage

USC’s three seniors will all graduate by August, 2006. Tarence Kinsey and Rocky Trice will each graduate in May with Antoine Tisby finishing his degree in August.

USC saw all four seniors graduate last year: John Chappell, Josh Gonner, Jon Land and Carlos Powell. Chappell (Macedonia) and Powell (Portugal) are playing basketball overseas.

Getting it done BEYOND

“Every time we were getting ready to blow it open, they made a 3,” said UF Coach Billy Donovan on USC’s performance against the Gators on Feb. 8 in Gainesville.

He might just have something there. Playing to its strengths, USC is scoring on the perimeter this season unlike year’s past.

Carolina has hit at least six 3-pointers in 18 of its 24 games this season as compared to hitting six+ in just 13 of 33 games last year. In addition, USC has hit 10+ in six of those games this season, including the 11-23 performance in the win over MSU and the 10-21 performance in the win over No. 6 Florida. Carolina put up a 4-2 record in those games.

When Carolina shoots 40% or better from behind the arc this season they are 8-3. The three losses were against Marquette (92-89), UT (76-69), UK (80-78).

USC leading scoring Tarence Kinsey is averaging a career-high 42% beyond the arc this season (47-112) as compared to last year’s leading scorer Carlos Powell who knocked down just six threes in 33 games, attempted 32 (19%). In fact Kinsey, Tre’ Kelley, Brandon Wallace, Stephen McDowell and Dwayne Day have already either topped or tied last year’s totals and Rocky Trice is one off his 14 of last year. Wallace has improved quite a bit, hitting 12-42 attempts (29%) this season after hitting 9-51 (18%) last season in 33 games.

THIS YEAR (24 GAMES)
SEASON ENDING 2004-05

Single game in

Beyond the arc – SEC success
The first meeting this season between UK and USC the two teams combined to hit 23-of-50 3pt. attempts. USC is averaging 41% beyond the arc in SEC wins and just 32% in its six losses
In 5 SEC Wins 3 Point FG %
South Carolina 45-111 (41%)
Opponents 34-100 (34%)

In 6 SEC Losses
South Carolina 43-134 (32%)
Opponents 49-119 (42%)

South Carolina When …. USC record
Hit 10+ 3 pointers 3-1
Opponents Hit 10 + 3 pointers 1-2
Hit more 3’s than the opponent 3-1
Opponent hits more 3’s 1-5
Both teams hit the same # of 3’s 1-0
USC has a higher 3 pt % 4-1
Opponent has higher 3 pt % 1-5

Lots of Love

USC defeated Alabama on Valentine’s Day night 67-56. Renaldo Balkman showed the national television audience some love his own, scoring a career-high 28 points and tying his career high with 16 rebounds. He added four steals and two blocks. It was the third double-double of his career. More on the game:

• Balkman and Tre’ Kelley scored 31 of USC’s 39 points in the second half. Balkman scored 19 of his 28 in the second half while Kelley scored all 12 of his points in the final half. He had 11 of his 16 rebounds in the first half. It’s the third time this season he’s hit double figures in rebounds and the fifth time of his career.
• Balkman set a new career high with 28 points – (17, South Florida, 12/14/04). He tied a career high with 16 rebounds (16 at Vanderbilt (3/2/05)
• Tre’ Kelley has 5+ assists in seven straight games, including 7 each in the last 3 games. The 8 assists vs. Alabama tied his season high. (Winthrop, 12/14/05 and Florida, 1/25/06). Five of his eight assists were recorded in the second half.
• Balkman (2:24, 1st half) hit his first three since Wofford (12/17/05) and then his second of the game (19:04, 2nd half). It’s the first time since 12/14/04 that he’s had 2+ in a game (2-3 vs. South Florida). Two are the most he’s hit in a game.

Me and Stack
Brandon Wallace’s two blocks in the win over Alabama moved him past Tony Kitchings (123, 1999-2003) and tied him with Ryan Stack (124, 1995-98) for fifth on the career list. After Stack, he’ll need 36 more blocks to hit No. 4 Mike Brittain (160, 1983-86). The career blocks leader might be a stretch: Danny Traylor blocked 235 from 1971-73.
Wallace has blocked three or more shots in four games this season, tallying 34 on the year. Wallace has blocked a shot in 57 of the 91 games he’s played. He has three+ blocks in 19 games in his career. After blocking 35 shots his freshman year, Wallace blocked 55 shots last season. The 55 were the most since Ryan Stack blocked 55 in the 1997-98 season.
Renaldo Balkman also has 34. The two combine for 56% of the team’s blocks this season. Balkman has already topped last year’s total of 21 after blocking 43 his freshman campaign. Balkman has 98 blocks in his career, which puts him at No. 7 on the career list. Next on his list was the man Wallace just finished off: Tony Kitching with 123 (1999-2003).

Just about 1,000
Tarence Kinsey’s 359 points this season already surpassed the points he scored in his sophomore (273) and junior years (286). He scored just 43 points his freshman season. Kinsey has hit 20+ points six times this season, including a 21 point performance at UK where he was a perfect 4-4 from the free throw line.
In his first three seasons at USC, Kinsey played in 85 games and in those 85 games he hit the 20+ mark only twice. (23 vs. South Carolina State, 12-22-04 and 21 vs. Idaho, 11-18-03). Kinsey has racked up 961 career points and needs 39 points to hit the 1,000 mark and become the 38th Gamecock to go over the 1,000 mark.
Kinsey has 105 career three-pointers and needs four more to enter the career top 10 at Carolina (109, Antonio Grant 1997-2001). He is hitting 36.8% in three’s which would put him at No. 6 on the all-time list if the season ended today.

Dishin it
In the 14 wins this season, Tre’ Kelley is averaging 11.0 points per game while in the 10 losses he is averaging 11.4 a game. Very close, but the difference is in the field goal percentage and in the assists.
In the 14 wins, Kelley has combined to make 45 of 108 shots (42% from the field) while he has made 41 of 103 shots (less than 40% from the field) in the 10 losses.
He has dished out 4.8 apg in the wins and 3.3 apg in the losses. As a team, Carolina is averaging four more assists a game in their victories than in losses. (15.6 assist per game in a win compared to 11.8 assists per game in a loss).
Looking down the road, Kelley has 744 career points and is averaging a career-high 12.0 ppg this season after hitting 5.1 ppg his freshman year and 8.9 ppg his sophomore year.

Sandmates

Coach Odom and Alabama’s Coach Gottfried both made the trip over to the Middle East for Operation Hardwood as part of a group who coached a three-day tournament with US servicemen and women this past August.

Odom coached Camp Navistar, with his team making it to the semi-finals. One of the highlights included a first round win over Bobby Cremins’ team on a last second basket. Odom’s team included 11 men and one woman with 10 of the man hailing from South Carolina. In addition to coaching Camp Navistar, Odom and the other coaches signed autographs, held a clinching for Kuwait children and toured the base. Besides Odom and Gottfried, other coaches included Tom Izzo (Michigan State), Bobby Lutz (Charlotte), Bobby Cremins (former Georgia Tech coach), Jay Bilas (former Duke player, ESPN analyst), Kelvin Sampson (Oklahoma) and Mike Jarvis (George Washington).

“Let me tell you something .. you ride a camel, drive a tank and coach basketball all in the same day, you have had one heck of a day,” said Odom.

What’s left?

Home at last, USC has two wins under its belt with the 83-61 win over MSU on Feb. 11 and its 11-point win over Alabama on Feb. 14 (67-56). The Crimson Tide left still searching for their first win in the Colonial Center.

Kentucky (Feb. 18, CBS), Vanderbilt (Feb. 25, JP) and LSU (Feb. 28, ESPN) are the three teams left on the home schedule. Entering Saturday’s game those 3 are 11-12 on the road this season, including 7-8 in SEC play. The three also combine for a 2-5 record in the Colonial Center. Vanderbilt and LSU will come to Columbia looking for its first wins in the Colonial Center.

USC will travel to Georgia on Feb. 23 for a rematch on ESPN after the Bulldogs won an overtime heartbreaker on a last second shot by Levi Stukes. USC will close out the regular season at Auburn on March 4.

The league will travel to Nashville for the SEC Tournament March 9-12.

Finally finished

From Jan. 11 to Feb. 11, USC played half of its SEC schedule. Of those eight games, six were on the road, including the three straight after the home win over UF on Jan. 25. During that span, USC had played more games on the road than any other SEC school. USC’s 17 days between home games (Jan. 25 – Feb. 11) was the longest home lapse since USC joined the SEC 15 years ago. In fact in conference play its the longest home lapse since 1990 when USC was still playing in the then-Metro Conference. USC went Jan. 27 (Memphis State) to Feb. 17 (Southern Miss) without a home conference game, playing four conference road games (at Tulane, Southern Miss, Louisville and Cincinnati) and two non-conference games (at Clemson and The Citadel). USC did play Augusta College on Jan. 29 at home that year.

USC played at UT on Jan. 28, at Arkansas on Feb. 4 and at Florida on Feb. 8. The trio combined for a 37-1 home record going into the games on Feb. 8, including a 12-1 record in SEC play. The only loss in the trio was a 58-63 loss by Arkansas to first place LSU. They have continued their winning ways at home since, with the tri not dropping a home game.

Quickly

USC is 6-4 following a loss. SC was 8-3 in 2004-05 after a loss and 6-4 in 2003-04.
USC will appear on television at 22 times during the regular season, including at least seven games on national television (6 ESPN/ESPN2, 1 CBS) and one tape delay (SUN Sports). The 22 appearances are the most regular-season television appearances ever for the Gamecocks. USC is 9-9 on TV this season. See complete schedule on page one.

On Guard

Preparing to slam one in the last minute of the UF game UF’s 6-11 Joakim Noah was stripped by USC’s 6-1 Tre’ Kelley. “I didn’t see him,” Noah said. “I’ll be thinking about that for a long time,”

Kelley has come into his own this season, averaging 12.0 ppg and leading the team with 4.3 apg. Kelley has been scoring in the SEC this season, averaging 12.8 ppg to last season’s 8.7 ppg in league play.

He is tied at the top of the league with UF’s Taureen Green with 5.5 apg each. Last year Kelley averaged 3.6 apg in overall play, but just 3.3 apg in SEC play. He averaged 2 APG his freshman campaign, including 2.2 apg in SEC contests. That season he played behind captain Mike Boynton, Jr. who averaged 3.4 apg, including 3.6 apg in SEC play.

He has 15 of 24 games with 4+ assists per game. In fact, in the last 12 games he has only gone under four assists once and that was when he scored 29 points in the OT win at Vandy. He has hit his season high of eight three times this year: in a 68-54 win over Winthrop, a 68-62 win over then-No. 4 Florida and the 11 point win over Alabama on Wednesday (67-56). His career high is nine assists in the win over UNLV in the second round of last year’s NIT run to the title.

Keepin’ it going

Hitting 6 3’s vs. ‘Bama – USC extended its steak to 159 consecutive games with a three-point basket. Not bad, but the streak had reached 216 straight games with USC?having a trey in every game since Jan. 7, 1995 vs. Kentucky. ?The streak ended as Carolina went 0-19 from long range in the regular season finale vs. MSU in 2001.