Dec. 27, 2006

South Carolina, 7-2, returns to the hardwood after an eight day layoff for the holidays and will host games on back-to-back days. USC begins with UNC Asheville on Dec. 28 at 6 pm as the first game of a doubleheader with the women’s team. The next evening USC will play Jacksonville Dec. 29 at 8 pm. It is the first time USC has played back-to-back regular season games on back-to-back days since playing three straight days at the Great Alaska Shootout Nov. 24-26, 2005.

UNC Asheville is 4-8 and lost its last game on Dec. 21 at South Carolina State 79-77. Jacksonville is 4-7 and 0-2 in the Atlantic Sun, Jacksonville was defeated at Georgia in its last game, 93-77, on Dec. 19. It will be JU’s final non-conference game as the Dolphins are 0-7 on the road this year.

USC is in the second game of quite a homestand – playing seven of eight games at home. Its one contest outside of Columbia during that span: the SEC regular season opener at Georgia (Jan. 10). This year USC opened the season with three of the first five on the road and has posted a 3-1 record on the road including its 64-59 win at Baylor Dec. 9. USC is 4-1 at home this year.

The South Carolina-Jacksonville game will be shown on CSS TV with Mike Morgan and Sunny Smith making the call. Both games can be heard on the Gamecock Radio Network with Mike Morgan (UNCA) and Andy Demetra (Jacksonville) (play-by-play) and Casey Manning (color analyst). It can also be picked up via the internet at www.uscsports.com and finally the game can also be seen on Gamecock All Access the next day at www.uscsports.com.

Gridiron and Hoops back-to-back

Not going to the Liberty Bowl? USC Head Coach Dave Odom is inviting fans to come watch the second half on the jumbotron at the Colonial Center followed by Gamecock Basketball vs. Jacksonville (fans must have a ticket for the basketball game to gain admission). Fans not using their tickets for the 28th and 29th can drop their tickets off at the Colonial Center ticket office. USC will then donate them to the Boy’s and Girl’s Club and a number of other local school children who otherwise would not be able to attend the game.

On the 29th, USC will open the Colonial Center at 5:30 pm for fans to watch the second half of the Liberty Bowl. The concession stands will be open with slashed prices on selected items. Cocky and the cheerleaders will be on hand to help cheer on Steve Spurrier’s Gamecock football team as well. USC will have special giveaways for fans during the second half of the Liberty Bowl, including tickets and Gamecock gear.

Fans not using their tickets are encouraged to bring their tickets off at the USC Ticket Office at the Colonial Center. USC will donate the tickets to children who otherwise would not be able to attend the games, including the Boy’s and Girl’s Club, the Salvation Army, etc. It’s for a good cause!

The basketball game, which was scheduled to start at 7 pm, will now begin at 8 pm or 15 minutes after the football game ends. The game will be shown on tape-delay on CSS at 10 pm that same night.

Looking ahead

USC will host Western Carolina, 5-6, as of Dec. 27, on Wed., Jan. 3 at 7:30 before hosting current No. 9 Kansas on Sun., Jan. 7 at 4:30 pm. The Kansas game will be shown nationally on CBS. USC is riding a 3-0 streak vs. top 10 teams over the past two seasons.

Up on the RPI

USC’s RPI has jumped up to No. 39 on the collegerpi.com. Carolina’s strength of schedule is ranked No. 77 in the early going. USC has the fifth-best RPI in the league.

Pouring on the scoring

Since scoring 29 points at Vanderbilt on Jan. 18, 2006, Tre’ Kelley has posted 10 or more points in 25 of 31 games. During the same stretch he has 20 or more in 8 games. Prior to that date he hit double digits 25 times in his first 83 games.

Scoring 24 points vs. the Tigers, Kelley scored 20 + for the 11th time in his career. He had a season-best 26 points twice (at USC, at Baylor). His career high is 29 (at Vanderbilt in 2006). Against Princeton, Kelley was in double figures for the eighth time this year and the 51st time in his career. Kelley passed Larry Davis (1068), Brian Winters (1079) and Henry Martin (1082) to move to No. 30 on the career points list and finished the game with 1092 career points.

50+/-

Carolina has shot 50% or better from the field three times this season, including 53% in the win vs. Princeton. Carolina’s defense has held all but two opponents this season to under 45% from the floor. The two opponents that hit 45%+ from the floor against Carolina resulted in its two losses: at UC-Irvine and vs. Clemson.

USC has taken 151 shots in the past three games with 63 of the 151 shots from beyond the arc (42%). Carolina has hit 23 of the 63 3-point attempts. (27%) The Gamecocks have shot 20 or more 3’s in five of its nine games this season.

20+ Carolina has had four different players post 20 or more points in a game this season. Tre’ Kelley has netted 20 three times, Brandon Wallace twice, and Bryce Sheldon and Dominique Archie both once.

Last season, Carolina only had three different players to score 20+ in a game (Kelley, Tarence Kinsey and Renaldo Balkman).

A little more on them

Tre’ Kelley and Brandon Wallace are working on a number of career milestones this year. The following are some of the categories the two are working on:

Tre’ Kelley

• He has 406 career assists and is No. 7 on the career list. He needs 22 assists to move past No. 6 (Chuck Eidson; 428 assists from 2000-2003). The school record is 543 set by Melvin Watson from 1995-98.

• He is No. 8 with 123 career three-pointers. He needs three to move past Melvin Watson at No. 7 (125, 1995-98). The school record is 264 set by Jamel Bradley fro 1999-2002.

• He is No. 6 with 389 career three-point attempts. He needs 15 to move up to No. 4 (403, Aaron Lucas, 1999-2002). Bradley is the record holder and attempted 686 during his career (1999-2002).

• With a successful season, he could enter the top 10 career lists for most games played (played in 114 games played; No. 10 is 121 by 3), most games started (82 games started; No. 10 is 101 by 2) and most minutes played (3218 minutes played; No. 10 is 3476 by 1).

Brandon Wallace

• He is currently No. 4 in career blocks with 194 He needs 32 blocks to move past No. 3 (Jeff Roulston, 226, 1989-92). The school record is 235 blocks by Danny Traylor (1971-73).

• With a successful season, he could enter the top 10 career lists for most games played (114 games played; No. 10 is 121 by 3).

SEC Leaders Brandon Wallace and Tre’ Kelley are 1-2 in the SEC in mpg with Wallace playing 37.8 mpg and Kelley putting in 36.2 mpg. LSU’s Garett Temple is No. 3 at 35.9 mpg.

Wallace is third with 9.0 rpg and is second with 3.3 bpg. Wallace is second with 6.9 drpg.

Kelley is fifth with 16.3 ppg. After leading the SEC in assists last season, he is currently No. 3 with 5.0 apg.

Dominique Archie fourth in orpg with 3.0.

vs. Big South, Atlantic Sun

Carolina is 21-3 vs. the Big South, including a 6-1 mark vs. UNC Asheville. USC has played only Charleston Southern more in the Big South, posting a 7-1 record.

Carolina is 34-13 vs. the Atlantic Sun, including a 1-1 mark vs. Jacksonville.