March 22, 2006

Complete Notes (PDF)

Game 36 o South Carolina at Cincinnati o March 23, 2006 o Fifth Third Arena (13,176)o Cincinnati, Ohio Probable Starters for the Cincinnati game (from previous game)

South Carolina Gamecocks (20-15, 6-10 SEC) PPG RPG APG

Tipoff: 6:04 pm (EST)
TV: ESPNU
Radio: Gamecock Radio Network
Series Record: USC leads 13-7
In Columbia: USC leads 8-0
In Cincinnati: UC leads 5-3
Neutral site: Series tied 2-2
Last Meeting: UC won 67-65 on Feb. 1, 1998 in Columbia

South Carolina Information
Head Coach:?Dave Odom (Guilford, 1965)
USC Record: 97-69 (5th year)
Overall Record:?375-243 (20th year)
Record vs. UC: 0-1 (0-1 A)

Cincinnati Information
Head Coach: Andy Kennedy (UAB, 1991)
UC Record: 21-12 (1st year)
Overall Record: 21-12 (1st year)
Record vs. USC:?First Meeting

South Carolina Record by the Numbers 2005-06
RECORD HOME ROADNEUTRALOT
Overall: 20-1510-66-74-21-2
Non-Conference: 9-46-13-21-10-1
SEC Overall: 6-103-53-5-1-1
SEC East: 3-71-42-3-1-1
SEC West: 3-32-11-2–

Cock Calls
1 Kelley14.4 ppg, 5 apg in the last 7 games; Only 1 to start every game; 21x w/ 10+; 24x 4+ apg; #1 in SEC in apg
2 McDowellScored 10 PT vs. WKY (3-3 3 PT); Has played in 26 games; Career high 12 vs. Winthrop
4 SheldonPlayed 12+ minutes in 12 straight games; 12 PT vs. UK at SEC Tourney (4-6 3 PT)
5 ArchieThe only freshman scholarship player on the squad — will be redshirted this year
10 TriceCareer-high 7 REB vs. WKY; 24 starts (9 straight); shut down UT’s Lofton at SEC Tourney
12 NerbunOnly walk-on the team this season; Played 1 MIN, w/ 3 ATT vs. WKY
14 TisbyDid not travel with team to FSU or UC; 16 PT, 7 REB; started 7th straight game vs. WKY
20 PalaciosBroke bone in left foot in Florida game (3/12) that will require surgery – done for season
21 Kinsey2nd team All-SEC; Tied career high w/ 5 3 PT in WKY win; 1144 career points (No. 26); Hit a 3 in 30-35 games
23 DayHas 10 starts in 32 games played this season; Did not play at Auburn or vs. UK
24 KonateHas not played since 1-25 due to ankle injury; Played in 13 games this year
33 Wallace11 pts. vs. FSU (1st time w/ 10+ since 2/28/06); 5 games w/ 4 + BLK; 4 double-doubles (5 career)
34 Balkman SEC All-Tourney; 13 rebounds vs. FSU ( 4th time this season w/ 10+); 6+ REB in 20 games this season

South Carolina Travels to Cincinnati for NIT Quarterfinals;
Winner gets trip to NYC for NIT Final Four at Madison Square Garden
USC, 20-15 and 6-10 SEC, continues its quest to defend its 2005 NIT title when it travels to another former Metro Conference rival in Cincinnati, 21-12 and 8-8 Big East, on Thur., March 23 at 6 pm EST. Both won second round ESPN-televised NIT games: USC defeated Florida State 69-68 in overtime in Tallahassee and Cincinnati, at home, defeated Minnesota 76-62 immediately following the Carolina game on March 21. USC is traveling to UC because it is the higher seed (No. 1 to USC’s No. 3).

USC has won its last two meetings with Cincinnati with both dating back to the Eddie Fogler era (97-83 in Cincinnati in 1997 and 67-65 in Columbia in 1998). USC set the record for most points scored in Fifth Third Arena with its 97 points in 1997. The two schools have four common opponents with UC posting a 3-1 record to USC’s own 1-4 record. UC won 92-83 at Vanderbilt and USC split their season series with the Commodores. UC got LSU 75-72 in Las Vegas in Dec. 23 while USC lost in the last few seconds to the Tigers in Columbia on Feb. 28 61-64, UC (69-89) and USC (51-58) both fell to Pittsburgh; and finally UC defeated Marquette 70-66 while USC lost 89-92 in the finals of the Great Alaska Shootout.

The Bearcat game will be televised on ESPNU with Bob Valvano and Craig Coshun making the call. The UC game can be heard on the Gamecock Radio Network with Mike Morgan (play-by-play) and Casey Manning (color analyst). The MSU game can also be heard via the internet at www.uscsports.com.

Playing for What?
The winner in Cincinnati will face the winner of the Louisville-Missouri State game (played Wed., March 22) on Tues., March 28 in New York City at Madison Square Garden in the NIT Semi-finals. USC has a 4-13 record vs. Louisville lifetime – another former Metro Conference foe – and a 1-0 record vs. Missouri State (formerly known as Southwest Missouri State). IF USC defeats Cincinnati and Louisville defeated Missouri State, USC will play its third straight former Metro Conference opponent in New York City (Florida State, Cincinnati, Louisville).

Vs. old Rivals
The two met up at least twice a year when there were members of the now extinct Metro Conference (1983-91). During that span USC posted an 10-5 record vs. the Bearcats, including a 2-5 record in Cincinnati.
The Series: USC leads 13-7
Series Record: USC Leads 13-7

Record in Cincinnati: Cincinnati leads 5-3
Last Game in Columbia:67-65 win on Feb. 1, 1998 (last meeting)
Last Game at Cincinnati: 97-83 win on Feb. 15, 1997
UC is 15-4 at home this season, including a 6-2 record vs. the Big East. Its only Big East blemishes at home were against Syracuse and Villanova.

Quickly
ESPN? Yes! USC is 8-3 in the past two years on the ESPN/ESPN2. In 2005-06 USC appeared on television 22 times during the regular season and including Thursday night’s game, 29 times total, including nine games on national television (7 ESPN/ESPN2/ESPNU, 2 CBS) and one tape delay (SUN Sports). The 22 appearances were the most regular-season television appearances ever for the Gamecocks. USC is 14-14 on TV this season.

USC is 8-6 following a loss. USC was 8-3 in 2004-05 and 6-4 in 2003-04.

Tops all year
Tarence Kinsey heads up the Gamecock cause with 15.5 ppg. Kinsey leads USC in scoring in every way you figure it: SEC games (15.4 ppg), wins (16.1 ppg), losses (14.7 ppg), home (15.8 ppg), away (14.8 ppg) and neutral (16.2 ppg). After his 5-9 performance from beyond the arc vs. Western Kentucky Kinsey continues to lead the team in 3 pt % (39.5%) and free throw % (85.7%) as well. He is second in MPG (34.7) and steals (1.5) and third in assists (2.3). He has hit at least one three in 30 games this season. Tre’ Kelley is second with 12.2 ppg and leads the team with 4.4 apg and 34.8 mpg. Brandon Wallace leads the team with 1.8 bpg. Wallace is second with 2.2 apg and 6.0 rpg and fourth with 7.2 ppg. Wallace has 26 blocks in the last eight games (3.2 bpg), including six in the win over Western Kentucky and five at Florida State.

His four double-doubles match the same number as Renaldo Balkman, but top Kinsey’s two. Balkman’s 1.7 spg and 6.1 rpg lead the team and he is third on the team with 9.5 ppg and 2.0 apg.

Lots and lots of PT
Tarence Kinsey and Tre’ Kelley both passed Jamel Bradley for the most minutes played in a season with their play in the win over Florida State. Bradley played 1211 minutes in 2002. Entering the Cincinnati game, Kelley has played 1219 this season and Kinsey has played 1216 minutes – putting them at one-two in minutes played in a single season. Entering this season, Bradley and Aaron Lucas were one-two in minutes played in a single season (both in 2002). With 1,055 minutes played this season, Brandon Wallace needs to play 39 minutes to jump into the single season top 10 (John Roche, 1969, 1094 minutes).

Defending Champs
The Gamecocks are making their 10th appearance in the NIT and second consecutive. Last season, USC took home the trophy after defeating five teams: Miami, UNLV, Georgetown, Maryland and St. Joe’s. The Gamecocks are seeking their second consecutive NIT trophy; the only other team to ever win back-to-back post-season NIT titles is St. John’s in 1943 and 1944. The Gamecocks are 18-8 overall in the NIT and are 11-1 under head coach Dave Odom. USC has made it to Madison Square Garden in New York four times: 1969, 1975, 2002 and 2005. Carolina played in the championship in 2002 and in 2005. USC took home the championship in 2005 while finishing as the runner-up in 2002 to Memphis.

Gamecock Appearances in the NIT
1969, 1975, 1978, 1983, 1991, 1996, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006

Re-writing the NIT records a bit
Nine Gamecock players have had four steals each in an NIT contest in the past. Renaldo Balkman topped them all against Florida State on March 21, stealing the ball five times.

Western Kentucky turned the ball over 23 times – a USC season-high for an opponent. The 23 broke Ball State’s own NIT record for an opponent when the Cardinals turned the ball over 22 ties vs. USC on March 21, 2002 (USC won to 82-47 to win a trip to NYC). WKY had the most turnovers for an opponent since Clemson turned it over 23 times vs. the Gamecocks on Dec. 4, 2004. USC made nine three pointers vs. WKU, topping the Gamecock NIT effort by one (8) vs. UConn on March 14, 2001 and Syracuse on March 26, 2002. USC shot 26 three-pointers to top the 2001 team vs. UConn (3-14-01).

USC tied its own NIT record with 17 steals vs. WKU (same as USC team vs. Ball State on March 21, 2002). The 18 steals are No. 8 on USC’s single game all-time list, tying with five other teams (last: vs. Ball State on March 21, 2002). Individually, USC tied two NIT records on March 15. Brandon Wallace’s six blocked shots tied Jeff Roulston’s effort vs. George Washington on March 15, 1991. Wallace, Tarence Kinsey, and Rocky Trice each had four steals, putting them at same number as six others in an NIT game. On the flip side, Anthony Winchester’s 16 rebound effort vs. the Gamecocks was an NIT best for an opponent individually.

More Numbers
Carolina recorded a 1-3 record against teams who made the NIT field of 40 during the regular season:
Vanderbilt 1-1
Temple 0-1
Clemson 0-1

Odom, Post Season
With the win over Florida State, Carolina now has 20 wins for the third consecutive season. It is the first time a Carolina coach has won 20+ three straight years since the Frank McGuire era when he won 20+ in six consecutive seasons (1969-1974). His teams have won 20+ in four of his five years at USC.

Coach Odom has guided his teams to post-season bids in 15 of his 20 seasons as a head coach. This is his sixth time coaching in the NIT. He has won two NIT championships with one coming at Wake (2000) and the other at USC (2005).

All-time NIT Appearances Under Odom 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006 Since Coach Odom’s arrival in the 2001-02 season, the Gamecocks have turned it up a notch at the end of the season. Carolina is 18-7 in the post-season under Odom – including two NIT appearances, an NCAA appearance and the SEC Tournament. YearRecordHighlights 2001-026-2SEC Semi-finals/NIT Runner-up 2002-030-1 2003-042-2SEC Semi-finals/NCAA Tournament 2004-055-1NIT Champions 2005-065-1SEC Tournament Runner-up/NIT Quarterfinals Totals18-7