March 10, 2008

South Carolina freshman and Bishopville native Mike Holmes has been named the SEC Freshman of the Week. Holmes posted back-to-back solid games with 16 points and 10 rebounds versus Kentucky on Wed., March 5 – his third double-double of league play – and 15 points and nine boards at No. 4 Tennessee on Sun., March 9.

South Carolina will play LSU on Thurs., March 13 at 1 pm in the first round of the SEC Tournament.

The 2007 South Carolina Mr. Basketball, Holmes is averaging 8.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 0.8 spg and 0.6 bpg while averaging 19.7 mpg in 10 career starts. In SEC play, he averaged 6.9 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 0.6 bpg and 0.8 spg in 17.3 mpg with 5 starts. He has three double-doubles this season (at UF, vs. MSU and vs. UK) and is the first freshman since USC joined the SEC to post three double-doubles in his first campaign. He had a career-high 16 rebounds vs. NC State including 8 offensive and 8 defensive. Holmes has 15 6+ rebound games this season.

Holmes is the first USC freshman to gather two back-to-back double-doubles since the Gamecocks joined the SEC in 1991. Holmes grabbed 13 rebounds and scored 12 points vs the Bulldogs. He is the first Gamecock to grab back to back double-doubles since Rolando Howell did it back-to-back vs. MSU on Feb. 11, 2004 (24 points, 11 rebounds) and on Feb. 14, 2004 vs. VU (17 points, 12 rebounds).