Dec. 16, 2008

Recap | Final Stats | Quotes

–The Gamecocks are 6-0 this season in games played at Colonial Life Arena. It marks the best home start for the Gamecocks since the 2003-04 season when South Carolina won its first nine games on its home floor.

–Carolina is 31-8 all-time against schools currently in the process of reclassifying to Division I. Tonight was the first meeting between the Gamecocks and NCCU.

–South Carolina forced NCCU into 34 turnovers, which set a school record for the Gamecocks. The previous record was 30 turnovers committed by Navy on Nov. 21, 2004, in Columbia. The Gamecocks scored 48 points off turnovers versus NC Central.

–The Gamecocks shot 75% from the free throw line (21-28), its highest percentage of the season. Carolina also set season highs in points (90), margin of victory (47), assists (20) and turnovers forced (34).

–Game Trends:
–The Eagles’ 43 points were the fewest allowed by South Carolina this season.
–NCCU scored the first four points of the game; it marks the first time all season that South Carolina has not scored the first basket.
–South Carolina went on a 23-2 run through much of the first half; the score went from an 8-8 tie to a 31-10 SC lead.
–Carolina’s 22-point halftime lead equaled its largest of the season; they also led USC Upstate by that margin on Nov. 22.
–NCCU’s 20 points in the first half marked the lowest-scoring half by a Carolina opponent of the year.

–Mike Holmes finished with 14 points, all coming in the first half. It was South Carolina’s highest-scoring individual first half of the season to date.

–Devan Downey had 23 points in the contest and equaled his career and season high in steals (7) and his season high in assists (6).

–Mitchell Carter set career highs with eight points and four rebounds in tonight’s game.

–Branden Conrad set a career high with five steals in the contest. He also had three points on the night.

–Brandis Raley-Ross played in tonight’s game, his first action since the opening game of the season vs. Jacksonville State when he suffered a left knee injury. He made his initial appearance at the 14:46 mark when he replaced Branden Conrad. Raley-Ross finished with two points and an assist in his first game back.

–Robert Wilder scored his first points of the season on a pair of free throws in the first half.