Dec. 6, 2012

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina will host Jacksonville on Friday in its final contest before the break for exams next week. The meeting marks the fifth all-time between the two schools, with all five meetings in Columbia. The contest will be televised on Fox Sports Carolinas/Fox Sports South with Andy Demetra and Eddie Fogler on the call, while fans can also listen on the Gamecock IMG Sports Network and GamecocksOnline.com. Below are game details and notes.

OPENING TIP
Date: Friday, Dec. 7, 2012
Tipoff: 7 p.m. ET
Location: Columbia, S.C.
Arena: Colonial Life Arena (18,000)
Series: South Carolina leads 3-1
Last Meeting: South Carolina win, 97-93, in Columbia, S.C.; Nov. 27, 2009
Television: Fox Sports Carolinas/Fox Sports South
Talent: Andy Demetra (pxp), Eddie Fogler (analyst)
Radio: Gamecock IMG Radio Network
Sirius: 123; XM: 199
Talent: Derek Scott (pxp), Casey Manning (analyst)
Tickets | @GamecockMBB | | GameNotes

Carolina Quick Hits
– South Carolina is in its 105th season of basketball.
– The Gamecocks are led by first-year head coach Frank Martin. His associate head coach is Brad Underwood and his assistant coaches are Matt Figger and Lamont Evans. Andy Assaley is the director of basketball operations.
– Carolina suffered a 64-55 loss to visiting Clemson last Sunday at Colonial Life Arena in the annual meeting between the two intrastate rivals. The Gamecocks had won the previous two meetings.
– Junior guard Brenton Williams is now the team leader with 13.4 points per game after a 16-point performance vs. Clemson.
– The Gamecocks have hit just 35.9 percent (42-117) from the floor in their last two games – both losses, at St. John’s last Thursday and vs. Clemson on Sunday. The Red Storm and Tigers combined to hit 51.5 percent during the stretch, with SJU hitting 56.9 percent (33-58).
– South Carolina suffered an 89-65 loss at St. John’s on Nov. 29 in its first true road contest of the season competing in the 2012 SEC/BIG EAST Challenge. Freshman forward Michael Carrera posted his second double-double of the year with 11 points and 11 rebounds.
– Junior guard Brenton Williams suffered a neck injury midway through the second half vs. St. John’s. He was transported to a local hospital and further evaluated. He was released and traveled home with the team. He returned vs. Clemson and led the team in scoring with 16 points, his sixth double-figure scoring game of the year.
– Junior guard Bruce Ellington saw action in his first contest of the season at St. John’s. Ellington, the leading receiver for the Gamecock football team, returned to practice on Nov. 27, and will practice and compete with the basketball team until bowl practices begin for the football squad. Ellington scored seven points in his debut vs. the Red Storm, playing a team high 29 minutes, and followed with a 12-point performance vs. Clemson.
– South Carolina posted a 74-62 victory over Arkansas Little-Rock on Nov. 25 to claim the 2012 Hoops For Hope Classic tournament title in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Senior guard Lakeem Jackson was named to the All-Tournament Team and senior guard LaShay Page was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.
– Jackson collected his second double-double of the season vs. UALR, scoring 10 points and collecting a career-high 15 rebounds. It was the most rebounds in a contest for Jackson since he collected 14 vs. Alabama on March 11, 2010.
– Page led the Gamecocks with 19.0 points per game in two contests in Puerto Vallarta, including a team high 22 vs. Missouri State. Page paces Carolina with 13.6 points per game entering Sunday’s contest vs. Clemson.
– Junior guard Brian Richardson scored 14 points vs. Missouri State, including four 3s, just one shy of matching his career high. Richardson played a career-high 38 minutes in the contest.
– Junior guard Eric Smith dished a season-best six assists vs. Missouri State and added five vs. UALR. He leads the Gamecocks with 3.0 assists per game.
– Carrera, the Nov. 12 SEC Freshman of the Week, did not play vs. Morgan State, Rider or Elon due to a concussion suffered in practice on Wednesday, Nov. 14. He returned to score 18 points vs. Missouri State, including the game-tying 3-pointer at the end of regulation to send the contest into overtime.
– In two overtime games this season, Carolina has hit an impressive 22-of-24 (91.7%) attempts from the free throw line during OT.
– The Gamecocks are a stellar 41-of-53 (77.4%) from the free throw line this season with under five minutes remaining in games (including overtime). – South Carolina holds an all-time record of 20-8 against current schools in the Atlantic Sun Conference.

Scouting Jacksonville
The Dolphins enter Friday’s contest with a 4-5 overall record, including an 89-66 win vs. Florida Christian earlier this week. Jacksonville and South Carolina both played in the Hoops For Hope Classic, with the event ending in Puerto Vallarta. JU psted a 2-2 record in the event, with victories vs. Missouri State and Milwaukee. Freshman guard Jarvis Haywood paces the team with 10.9 points per game and senior forward Glenn Powell leads the team, and ranks fourth in the Atlantic Sun Conference with 7.3 rebounds per contest. Jacksonville is led by head coach Cliff Warren in his eighth season.

By The Numbers
+10.8 – South Carolina ranks second in the SEC (Missouri, 11.8) and 11th nationally with a +10.8 rebound margin. Carolina has out-rebounded each of its eight opponents this season, including a 36-29 advantage vs. Clemson.
19.3 – South Carolina is hovering near the 20-turnovers per game mark after committing 19 vs. Clemson last Sunday. In the current two-game losing streak, the Gamecocks average 15.5 turnovers per contest.
37 – Clemson shot 37 free throw attempts in last week’s contest, the most by a Carolina opponent this season and the second-most by an opponent of any SEC school this season.
29.9 – South Carolina’s bench averages 29.9 points per contest, and as a unit, has out-scored the opposing bench in each game this season.

Up Next For The Gamecocks
South Carolina will have a 12-day break before hosting Appalachian State on Dec. 19 in the first part of a doubleheader with the Gamecock women’s team. Game time is set for 5 p.m. ET, with the game televised on Fox Sports Carolinas.