Gamecock Gameday: #21/19 Carolina Welcomes Arkansas To Colonial Life Arena Wednesday

Feb. 14, 2017

COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina hosts Arkansas on Wednesday in the lone meeting between the two schools this SEC regular season. The Gamecocks won last season’s meeting in Fayetteville, posting a 76-61 victory over the Razorbacks in the regular-season finale. Carolina enters action this week tied atop the SEC standings with No. 13/11 Kentucky and No. 15/13 Florida, as all hold a 10-2 record in league contests thus far.

GAME STORYLINES

– South Carolina is in its 109th season of varsity basketball in 2016-17.
– On the sidelines, Frank Martin is joined by associate head coach Matt Figger, assistant coaches Perry Clark and Bruce Shingler, and director of operations Andy Assaley.
– South Carolina remains in the national rankings this week, checking in at No. 21 in the AP poll and No. 19 in the Coaches Poll. South Carolina has been ranked in the AP poll for nine weeks this season and in the Coaches Poll for 10.
– South Carolina captured its 20th win of the season last Saturday in Starkville. It marked the first time the Gamecocks have had back-to-back 20-wins seasons (25-9 during 2015-16 campaign) since the 2003-04 (23-11), the 2004-05 (20-13) and the 2005-06 (23-15) seasons when the Gamecocks posted three-straight 20-win campaigns.
– The Gamecocks posted their 10th SEC win of the season in Starkville as well, marking just the fifth double-digit win total in SEC play for Carolina in its 26-seasons in the league. It’s also just the second time that Carolina has had back-to-back seasons with double-digit league wins, as the Gamecocks posted 11 last season. (15 SEC wins in 1997, 11 in 1998).
– Carolina aims for its 11th SEC win of the campaign on Wednesday vs. Arkansas. It would mark the second-straight season with 11 league wins, and it would tie for the second-most all-time (15 in 1997).
– Once again led by senior guard Sindarius Thornwell, Carolina posted a four-point victory on the road at Mississippi State on Saturday. It marked Carolina’s sixth road win of the season – the most since the 2005-06 campaign, and the Gamecocks’ fifth in league play, the most since 1997 (7 road wins). Thornwell would score Carolina’s first 10 and final seven points in the win. Sophomore forward Chris Silva (15) and rookie forward Maik Kotsar (10) were also in double digits.
– For his play last week vs. Alabama and Miss. State, Thornwell was named the SEC’s Player of the Week on Monday. He average 36.0 points and 12.5 rebounds to earn the honor.
– Thornwell has been named to the Naismith Trophy Top 30 list, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced on Feb. 9. The list is comprised of the nation’s top players who are in consideration for the 2017 Naismith Men’s College Player of the Year award.
– Thornwell is just six points away from reaching 1,000 career SEC points (regular-season games only).
– South Carolina’s backcourt has accounted for 80.6% of scoring over the course of the last five games.
– Thornwell has accounted for 31.2% of the team’s scoring over the course of the last five games.
– In league play, Carolina opponents are averaging 19.3 turnovers per contest. Most recently, Mississippi State committed 19 on Feb. 11.
– South Carolina has forced at least 15 turnovers in every SEC game this season. Texas A&M’s 25 marked an opponent season high in the category, and Alabama was just behind with 24 giveaways.
– South Carolina currently leads the nation in 3-point field goal percentage defense, holding opponents to just 27.4 percent from beyond the arc this season.
– South Carolina leads the SEC in several defensive categories entering Wednesday’s matchup vs. Arkansas. In overall games, Carolina is tops in scoring defense (63.1), FG% defense (38.7%) and 3-point FG% defense (27.4%), and is first in steals (8.2 per game). In strictly league games, Carolina is fourth in FG% defense (41.5%), first in 3-point FG% defense (28.9%) and first in steals (8.4 per game).
– Individually in the SEC statistics (overall games), Thornwell is second in scoring (20.8), second in rebounds (7.5), first in steals (2.3) and fifth in offensive rebounds per game (2.7). Dozier is fifth with 1.8 steals per outing and Silva is tied for ninth with 1.5 blocks per outing.
– South Carolina is 13-2 at home this season, averaging 76.1 points per game and hitting 42.0% from the field.
– The Gamecocks are 6-2 in away games this season (5-1 in SEC games), and average 70.6 points per game and have hit 41.8% from the field.
– South Carolina head coach Frank Martin is 86-80 (.518) all-time in conference games.
– Martin is 23-32 (.418) against ranked opponents as a head coach. His teams have four wins over opponents ranked in the top five, and two wins over opponents who are ranked No. 1.
– South Carolina is in its 26th basketball season as a member of the Southeastern Conference. The Gamecocks are 165-255 (.391) all-time in SEC games.
– The Gamecocks currently rank 21st in the NCAA RPI (games through Feb. 12), which is third in the SEC behind Kentucky (9th) and Florida (10th).
– Sophomore forward Chris Silva scored 15 points in Carolina’s win at Miss. State, including 11 in the second half. It was his 14th double-figure scoring game of the year.

THE DEFENSE

South Carolina is making headlines this season for its tenacious defense, check out a few key stats on the Gamecock D:

– Carolina has held 14 of 25 opponents this season to below 40% from the floor.
– The Gamecocks have ranked among the top 25 in the nation in field goal percentage defense at the conclusion of the last two seasons – 13th in 2014-15 when opponents hit 38.7%, and 25th in 2015-16 when opponents hit 39.7% – while Carolina currently ranks 10th nationally (opponent field goal percent of 38.7%) in the category this season.
– The Gamecocks have scored double-digit points off of turnovers in all but one game this season, including a season high 34 points off of turnovers in the win at LSU.
– Carolina leads the SEC and ranks fourth nationally with 17.5 opponent turnovers per game. Only West Virginia (22.2), Fordham (18.4) and The Citadel (18.0) force more turnovers per contest.
– The Gamecocks lead the SEC and rank 23rd nationally in steals per game with 8.2 per contest.

SCOUTING ARKANSAS

– The Razorbacks own an 18-7 overall record on the year, which includes a 7-5 mark in SEC games. Arkansas is currently tied with Alabama for fourth place in the league standings.
– Arkansas is led by head coach Mike Anderson in his sixth season. The Razorbacks have been to the postseason twice under his direction.
– Arkansas is 4-4 in road contests this season, including a 4-2 mark in SEC road games.
– Most recently UA posted a 78-70 win at LSU.
– Four average double-figure points in overall games, led by senior guard Dusty Hannahs’ 14.7 per outing. He also leads the team in league games with 14.6 per game.
– Daryl Macon (13.1), Moses Kingsley (11.7) and Jaylen Barford (11.2) also provide double-digit scoring in overall games.
– Hannahs and Macon led Arkansas with 17 points a piece in the win at LSU.
– In the SEC statistics, UA is second in scoring offense (80.1 ppg), third in free throw percentage (74.5%), third in field goal percentage (46.1%) and second in 3-point field goal percentage (37.5%).

ARKANSAS SERIES

Arkansas leads the all-time series with South Carolina 17-13, but Carolina holds a 7-5 advantage in games played in Columbia. South Carolina won the only meeting between the two schools last season, posting a 76-61 road win in Fayetteville. Prior to that, Arkansas had won two-straight and three of the previous five. The Razorbacks posted a 78-74 win in the last meeting in Columbia, on March 5, 2015.

BY THE NUMBERS

52.0% – South Carolina collects an assist on 52.0 percent of its made baskets this season (327/628).
63.1 – South Carolina ranks 19th in the country and leads the SEC in scoring defense, as opponents are averaging just 63.1 points per game this season.
62 – The senior trio of Sindarius Thornwell (22), Duane Notice (27) and Justin McKie (13) accounted for 62 points in the Carolina win over Auburn on Jan. 24.
98 – South Carolina’s 98 points scored vs. Auburn marked the third-most every scored in an SEC game and the most ever scored during the Frank Martin era.
120 – Senior guard Sindarius Thornwell is the career leader at Carolina with 120 starts.
176 – Senior guard Sindarius Thornwell now ranks in the top 10 in career steals at Carolina with 175, including 43 this season.
174 – South Carolina is 174-81 all-time at Colonial Life Arena, including an 13-2 mark this season.
606 – Sindarius Thornwell ranks third among active players in the SEC with 606 career rebounds.
1,287 – Senior guard Duane Notice ranks 22nd all-time at Carolina with 1,287 points. He is nine points away from surpassing Jamie Watson (1,295) for 21st all-time.
1,674 – Senior guard Sindarius Thornwell ranks sixth all-time at Carolina with 1,674 career points. He needs 72 points to surpass Jimmy Foster (1,745) for sixth all-time. Thornwell is just the sixth Gamecock to score at least 1,600 points during his career.

UP NEXT

South Carolina will play its next two on the road, beginning a tough stretch on Saturday at Vanderbilt. The contest vs. the Commodores will tip at 8:30 p.m. ET on the SEC Network. Carolina continues road action just three days later at No. 15/13 Florida on Tuesday, Feb. 21. Tip time for that contest is set for 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.