Feb. 2, 2009

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – South Carolina’s Devan Downey was named the SEC Player of the Week after averaging 20.5 points, 4.0 assists and 3.5 steals in leading the Gamecocks to wins over Vanderbilt and at Kentucky in league play last week. Downey tallied 18 points, while adding four assists and a team-best three steals in the Gamecock victory over Vanderbilt on Wednesday. Downey backed that up with one of his top performances of the season in USC’s upset of then-No. 24 Kentucky at Rupp Arena on Saturday when he tallied 23 points, four assists and four steals in the victory. With three seconds left, he nailed a turnaround jumper to give the Gamecocks the one-point victory.

Downey and the Gamecocks travel to face Florida in a matchup on ESPN on Tuesday at 9 p.m.