Dec. 31, 2010

The South Carolina men’s basketball team (8-3) will host Boston College (10-3) on New Year’s Day at Colonial Life Arena. Tip time for the contest is set for 5:30 p.m., with the matchup being televised on ESPNU with Clay Matvick and Mark Gottfried on the call.

GAME INFORMATION
Date: Saturday, January 1, 2011
Tipoff: 5:30 p.m. ET
Location: Columbia, S.C.
Arena: Colonial Life Arena (18,000)
Series: Series is tied at 1-1
Television: ESPNU
Talent: Clay Matvick (pxp), Mark Gottfried (analyst)
Radio: Gamecock Radio Network
(107.5 FM – Columbia/GamecocksOnline.com)
Talent: Andy Demetra (pxp), Casey Manning (analyst)
Live Stats: GamecocksOnline.com
Tickets: Tickets are available via the Gamecock Ticket Office (1-800-4SC-FANS)

Game Notes vs. Boston College

Carolina Quick Hits
– South Carolina is in its 103rd season of basketball.
– Saturday’s contest is the second this season for South Carolina on the ESPN family of networks. The Gamecocks suffered an 82-73 loss at then-No. 2/2 Michigan State on ESPN on Nov. 16, 2010.
– Third-year head coach Darrin Horn owns an all-time record of 97-19 (.836) in home contests and has led South Carolina to a 34-8 (.809) home record during his two-plus seasons in Columbia.
– Freshman forward Damontre Harris earned his first career start vs. Jacksonville State, pouring in a season-best six points, while collecting three rebounds and blocking two shots.
– Senior forward Sam Muldrow collected his second double-double of the season and the third of his career with 11 points and 11 rebounds vs. Jacksonville State, while also blocking three shots, a team-best.
– South Carolina is 7-0 at home this season, its best start in Columbia since the 2008-09 campaign. That team went on to win its first eight contests at Colonial Life Arena.
– South Carolina’s 40.7 rebounds per game rank second in the SEC, trailing only Kentucky (41.2).
– Carolina’s 5.6 blocked shots per game rank fifth in the SEC, with Muldrow tied for third (2.4).
– South Carolina’s 14.4 offensive rebounds per game rank first in the SEC. The Gamecocks collected 16 offensive boards vs. Jacksonville State, the most since earning 17 in a double-overtime win over WKU.
– Freshman guard Bruce Ellington ranks fifth in the SEC in assists (4.0), and is first among freshmen in the category.
– Ellington scored 31 points vs. Furman on Dec. 22. It marked the first Gamecock to hit the 30-point plateau since Devan Downey posted 33 in a 78-77 victory over Georgia on Jan. 30, 2010.
– Muldrow collected his second career double-double with 14 points and 14 rebounds in the win over Wofford on Dec. 11. It was the highest single-game rebounding effort by a Gamecock this season.
– South Carolina has out-rebounded eight of its 11 opponents this season, with the exceptions being Clemson, Ohio State and Furman.
– The Gamecocks own a 397-337 (.540) all-time record in the month of January.
– South Carolina is 281-401 (.412) all-time against current schools in the ACC. The last Gamecock victory over an ACC opponent came in a 64-60 win over Clemson on Dec. 5, 2010. Carolina’s last loss to an ACC opponent came in an 85-76 loss at Boston College on Dec. 30, 2009.

Scouting Boston College
– BC broke a seven-game winning streak with a 67-65 loss at Rhode Island on Wednesday. The Eagles are 10-3 entering Saturday’s matchup at South Carolina.
– Junior guard Reggie Jackson – who scored 16 points, collected eight rebounds and dished four assists vs. Carolina last season – paces the Eagles with 18.8 points per game, which ranks second in the ACC, trailing only Virginia Tech’s Malcom Delaney (19.9). Joe Trapani (13.3), Corey Raji (11.4) and Biko Paris (10.4) also contribute double digits for BC.
– Boston College ranks second in the ACC in free throw percentage (74.5%), and third in field goal percentage (48.0%) and 3-point field goal percentage (69.6%).

By The Numbers
– 4 – Sophomore guard Ramon Galloway matched his career high with four 3’s vs. Jacksonville State. He hit all four of those shots in the first half.
– 51.6% – Gamecock newcomers, including Malik Cooke, account for 51.6% of South Carolina’s offense this season. The freshmen class (Ellington, Richardson, Slawson, Harris, Smith) account for 39.4%.
– 33 – With his three blocked shots vs. Jacksonville State, senior big man Sam Muldrow has blocked at least three shots in 33 career games. In those games, South Carolina owns a 21-12 record.
– 37.0% – Carolina shot just 37.0% – its second-lowest effort in a home contest this season – and made an overall season low of just 20 shots vs. Jacksonville State.
– 5-1 – When Sam Muldrow scores in double digits this season, Carolina owns a 5-1 record. In those contests, Muldrow scores 13.7 points and collects 8.5 rebounds – both team highs.