Dec. 29, 2013

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Gamecocks face another quick turnaround when Marshall travels to Colonial Life Arena for a Monday night matchup. The Gamecocks and Thundering Herd have met five times previously, but not since the 1980-81 campaign. The Gamecocks have won two straight and three of their last four, while the Thundering Herd enters the non-conference meeting having lost four of their last five games. Monday’s game will be the first for Marshall since Dec. 21, during that stretch, Carolina has played four games and traveled back from Hawaii. Monday’s game will be televised on CSS and also available via ESPN3.

OPENING TIP
Date: Monday, Dec. 30, 2013
Tipoff: 7 p.m. ET
Location: Columbia, S.C.
Arena: Colonial Life Arena (18,000)
Series: South Carolina leads 3-2
Last Meeting: Marshall win, 116-85, on Dec. 1, 1980, in Huntington, W.Va.
Broadcast: CSS/ESPN3
*** The contest will also be broadcast on Time Warner Cable Channel 506 to customers with a digital box, and standard cable as a minimum package. The game will also be available on channel 491 for Sports Pass subscribers.
Talent: Matt Stewart (pxp), Daymeon Fishback (analyst)
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 | 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.
– After traveling back from Hawaii on a late-night red-eye, and a mid-day practice on Friday, South Carolina responded to the challenge with a 78-45 victory over Akron on Saturday at Colonial Life Arena. The win snapped a two-game home losing streak for Carolina, and was the Gamecocks’ third win in their last four games, including the second-straight over Akron.
– Senior guard Brenton Williams posted a season high 24 points, his third-career 20-point game, and matched a career high with six made 3s in Saturday’s game. Williams also matched John Roche for the South Carolina record for consecutive free throws made with 41. Rookie guard Duane Notice dished a season high six assists in the win, with the Gamecocks collecting 20 assists on 28 made baskets.
– Carolina committed just seven turnovers vs. Akron on Saturday, a game after turning the ball over just 10 times vs. the Zips in Hawaii. On the flip side, the Gamecocks forced the Zips into a combined 37 giveaways in the two games, which led to a combined 43 points for Carolina, 21.5 per game off of Akron turnovers.
– Entering Saturday’s contest vs. Akron, South Carolina’s strength of schedule ranked 10th in the country according to CBSSports.com and 13th according to ESPN.com.
– South Carolina responded after the loss to Boise State, with a come-from-behind victory over Akron on Christmas Day in the final contest of the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic in Honolulu. The Gamecocks out-scored the Zips 44-28 during the second half to complete a 69-59 victory. Notice tallied a season and team high 15 points in the win, and four different Gamecocks – Notice, Ty Johnson, Michael Carrera and Desmond Ringer – collected five rebounds each.
– Carolina earned third place at the Diamond Head Classic with victories over Saint Mary’s and Akron.
– Notice out-scored his own season high in each successive game in Hawaii. He began tournament play with 11 points vs. Saint Mary’s, before posting 13 against Boise State and 15 against Akron. For the tournament, Notice hit 59.3 percent (16-27) from the field, averaging 2.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game.

Scouting Marshall
Marshall is led by head coach Tom Herrion in his fourth season … The Thundering Herd has not played since a Dec. 21 contest vs. Arkansas State, and the team has lost five of its last six games dating back to Nov. 30 … Marshall hits 47.7 percent from the field this season, but just a 60.6 percent mark from the free throw line … The squad takes 20-plus 3-point attempts per game, hitting 7.8 per contest … Elijah Pittman paces the team with 21.4 points per contest, but he has not played in the last three games due to suspension … Ryan Taylor leads the team and ranks 17th in Conference USA with 7.0 rebounds per game … Marshall leads the league with 85.8 points per game this season … The Thundering Herd suffered an 80-73 overtime loss to Stephen F. Austin earlier this season, who is led by former Gamecock associate head coach Brad Underwood.

Series vs. Marshall
Monday’s meeting vs. Marshall marks the sixth all-time between the two schools, but the first since the 1980-81 campaign. South Carolina is 3-1 in games played in Columbia vs. the Thundering Herd.

By The Numbers
33.8% – South Carolina head coach Frank Martin mentioned after Saturday’s victory vs. Marshall that the Gamecocks’ perimeter defense has come on strong over the course of the last four games. Proven in the numbers, as the Gamecocks have held opponents to just 33.8 percent (25-74) from 3-point range during the stretch.
17 – South Carolina collected a near season high 17 offensive rebounds on Saturday vs. Akron, scoring 18 second chance points in the contest. South Carolina ranks fourth in the SEC in offensive rebounds per game with 13.7.
4.0 – Junior guard Tyrone Johnson ranks third in the SEC with 4.0 assists per game. He dished five assists against Akron on Dec. 25 and again on the 28th.