Dec. 16, 2013

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina returns from an 11-day break due to final exams when it hosts Manhattan at Colonial Life Arena on Tuesday. The contest begins a stretch of five games over the course of the next nine days, including three contests competing in the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic in Honolulu, Dec. 22-25. South Carolina looks to rebound after fallling at No. 9/11 Oklahoma State in its most previous contest on Dec. 6. Tuesday’s game will not be televised but will be available via GamecocksOnline.com on the All-Access Package.

OPENING TIP
Date: Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2013
Tipoff: 7 p.m. ET
Location: Columbia, S.C.
Arena: Colonial Life Arena (18,000)
Series: South Carolina leads 6-2
Last Meeting: South Carolina win, 63-57, Dec. 22, 2012, in Brooklyn, N.Y. (Brooklyn Hoops Holiday Invitational)
Broadcast: GamecocksOnline.com All-Access
Radio: Gamecock Radio Network/107.5 The Game in Columbia
Sirius: 108; XM: 199
Talent: Andy Demetra (pxp), Casey Manning (analyst)
Game Notes | @GamecockMBB on Twitter | Live Video For A Fee | | Tickets

Carolina Quick Hits
– South Carolina is in its 106th season of basketball.
– The Gamecocks are led by Frank Martin in his second year. Matt Figger is the associate head coach, and Perry Clark and Lamont Evans are assistant coaches. Andy Assaley is in his second year as the director of operations for the Gamecocks.
– Senior guard Bruce Ellington and junior forward Carlton Geathers both participated in winter graduation ceremonies on Monday. Both earned their degree in sociology.
– South Carolina most recently suffered a 79-52 road loss at No. 9/11 Oklahoma State on Dec. 6, competing in the Big 12/SEC Challenge. Rookie guard Jaylen Shaw once again shined for Carolina off the bench, hitting 4-of-5 attempts from the floor, which included three 3s for 13 points.
– Over the course of the last two games (win vs. FIU, loss at Ok. State), Shaw is averaging 14.5 points, 1.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and has hit 66.7 percent from the field overall, including a 63.6 (7-11) mark from 3-point range, in 23.0 minutes per game off the bench.
– Looking ahead, South Carolina hosts USC Upstate on Thursday at 4 p.m. ET (televised on Fox Sports Carolinas/SportSouth), before beginning travels for the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic on Friday with an early morning flight. The Gamecocks’ first game in Hawaii is versus Saint Mary’s on Dec. 22 at 11 p.m. ET. Carolina will then face either host Hawaii or Boise State in the event’s second round.
– Senior guard Bruce Ellington began practice with the Gamecock men’s basketball team on Dec. 3, and saw 17 minutes of action, scoring two points from the free throw line in the contest vs. Oklahoma State. Ellington led the Gamecock football team in receiving yards this season, collecting 635 yards on 43 catches and scoring six touchdowns. On the basketball court, Ellington owns career averages of 11.3 points, 2.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 30.6 minutes per game (78 games played).
– Junior guard Tyrone Johnson matched a career high with 18 points, and freshman guard Jaylen Shaw exploded for 16 points off the bench, in South Carolina’s victory over Florida International on Nov. 24. Johnson contributed seven assists, and Shaw added five, in propelling Carolina to 19 team assists in the victory.
– The Gamecocks are winless in three road contests this season, suffering a 66-64 loss at then-No. 23 Baylor on Nov. 12, before a 71-57 loss at Clemson on Nov. 17, and the Dec. 6 loss at then-No. 9 Oklahoma State, 79-52. South Carolina has hit just 35.6% (57-160) from the field, and is averaging 57.7 points per game on the road.
– Sophomore forward Mindaguas Kacinas posted his first double-double of the season and the second of his career with team highs of 13 points and 12 rebounds vs. Clemson on Nov. 17.
– Kacinas currently leads the Gamecocks and ranks tied for sixth in the SEC with 8.4 rebounds per contest. His 4.0 offensive rebounds per contest are a team best and also rank tied for first in the league with Kentucky’s Julius Randle.
– The Gamecocks rank fourth in the SEC in field goal percentage defense, as Carolina opponents have hit just 39.1 percent of shot attempts this season.

Scouting Manhattan
The Jaspers enter Tuesday’s contest having won four-straight games overall, including most recently a 77-72 decision at UNC Wilmington on Sunday … The squad has a stellar 6-0 record on the road this season, including wins at LaSalle, Columbia, Illinois State, Hofstra, Marist and Wilmington … Manhattan is led by head coach Steve Masiello in his third season … The Jaspers returns the majority of their lineup from last season, including senior guard/forward George Beamon, who saw action in four contests last season before suffering a season-ending injury … Beamon paces the squad with 20.7 points (third in the MAAC) and 7.3 rebounds (6th in the MAAC) per contest … Senior center Rhamel Brown leads the conference with 4.2 blocks per game … Brown blocked a season high nine blocks in the Jaspers’ loss vs. Fordham, and blocked eight in the win vs. Monmouth.

Ellington Returns
Senior guard Bruce Ellington returned to the Gamecock basketball team on Dec. 3 for practice and saw 17 minutes of action in Carolina’s Dec. 6 contest at No. 9 Oklahoma State. The Moncks Corner, S.C., native, missed the first four games, and all of preseason practice due to competition with the 8th-ranked Gamecock football team. On the gridiron, Ellington led the Garnet and Black with 635 receiving yards on 43 catches, including six touchdowns.

Series vs. Manhattan
South Carolina owns a 6-2 record in the all-time series with Manhattan, including a 4-1 mark in games played in Columbia. Tuesday’s contest marks the first in Columbia since a Gamecock win on Jan. 15, 1981.

By The Numbers
83.0 – The Gamecocks have played just two home contests this season, averaging 83.0 points per games in those matchups. Carolina scored 82 points in the season-opening win vs. Longwood, and posted 84 in the victory vs. FIU.
50% – The Gamecocks are hitting 50.0% (58-116) from the field in games played in Colonial Life Arena this season. Junior guard Ty Johnson paces the team with 18.0 points per game in home contests, and he has hit 57.9 percent of his attempts from the field.
14.5 – Over the course of the last two games freshman guard Jaylen Shaw has averaged 14.5 points, 1.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and has hit 66.7 of his attempts from the field in 23.0 minutes per game. Shaw came off the bench in both of those contests, and has gone a combined 7-of-11 (63.6%) from 3-point range in those games.
8 in 18 – The Gamecocks begin a stretch of eight games over the course of the next 18 days in Tuesday’s game vs. Manhattan. The stretch ends with the Jan. 3 contest vs. SC State, which concludes non-conference play for Carolina.

Trend Setting
Gamecock trends under Frank Martin …
– South Carolina is 11-10 when posting at least six made 3s in a game.
– South Carolina hit a season high eight 3s in the win vs. FIU on Nov. 24
– South Carolina is 11-6 when scoring more points in the paint than its opponent.
– The Gamecocks average 29.6 points in the paint per game, compared to 25.6 from opponents. Carolina posted a season high 40 points in the paint vs. Clemson on Nov. 17.
– South Carolina is 11-10 when holding its opponents to under 45 percent from the field.
– The Gamecocks have held each opponent except FIU under 45% shooting this season. Longwood managed to hit just 22.8% of its attempts.
– South Carolina is 12-10 when out-rebounding its opponent.
– The Gamecocks have out-rebounded three opponents this season, holding a +23 margin vs. Longwood and a +8 mark vs. Clemson.

Up Next
South Carolina hosts USC Upstate on Thursday in a contest set to begin at 4 p.m. ET. The matchup between the Gamecocks and Spartans will be televised on Fox Sports Carolinas/SportSouth.