Gamecocks Host Boston U Tuesday Night

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Cancun Challenge comes to Columbia on Tuesday when the Gamecocks (3-0) host Boston University (2-2) in the first of two home matchups that are part of the Challenge this week.  Tip time for Tuesday’s night’s non-conference contest is set for 7 p.m. ET, with the contest broadcast on SEC Network+ and the Gamecock IMG Radio Network.

TIPOFF NOTABLES
> Carolina’s defense has been exceptional to start the season.  In games through Nov. 17, the Gamecocks are top 20 nationally in four major defensive categories, including top 5 in three: opponent field goal percent (3rd, 29.1%),  scoring defense (4th, 50.0 opponent points per game), 3-point field goal defense (4th, 16.3%) and turnovers forced (20th, 20.67 per game).
> Sophomore guard AJ Lawson hit seven buckets, including a pair of 3s, and was a career best 12-of-13 at the foul line to post a new career high 28 points in leading the Gamecocks over Cleveland State last Friday at Colonial Life Arena.  Classmate Alanzo Frink posted the first double-double of his career as well, scoring 11 with 10 boards, including eight on the offensive glass.
> Rebounding is key for Frank Martin teams and the Gamecocks are rebounding at a high rate this season.  Carolina is currently 24th nationally with 44.67 total rebounds per game.
> Through the first three games, Gamecock opponents have hit just 8-of-49 from 3-point range, 16.3%, which ranks second in the SEC and fourth nationally.
> Sophomore guard AJ Lawson needs just seven assists to reach 100 for his career.  He is leading Carolina with 3.3 assists per outing this season.

SCOUTING THE TERRIERS
> Boston University is led by head coach Joe Jones in his ninth season.  
> The Terriers are 2-2 on the year, with wins over SUNY Poly and New Hampshire, and losses vs. Northeastern and at Vermont.
> Sophomore guard Walter Whyte paces the squad with 18.5 points per outing, and senior Max Mahoney leads the team with 7.3 rebounds per game.
> BU has hit 46.2 percent from the floor (110-238), and 29-of-88 attempts from 3-point range, 33.0 percent.

NOTES TO KNOW
> South Carolina is led by eighth-year head coach Frank Martin.  Martin, the 2017 Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year, owns a 248-160 record in his 13th season as a head coach, and a 131-106 record in his eighth season at Carolina.
> Joining Martin on the sidelines is a veteran staff, including assistant coaches Perry Clark (seventh season), Chuck Martin (third season) and Bruce Shingler (fourth season), director of basketball operations Andy Assaley (eighth season) and strength and conditioning coach Scott Greenawalt (eighth season), and several support staff members.
> South Carolina returns a core group from last season’s squad, while welcoming seven newcomers to Columbia, including five freshmen – Trey Anderson, Jalyn McCreary, Trae Hannibal, Wildens Leveque and Mike Green, transfer Seventh Woods (North Carolina/not eligible this season due to NCAA transfer rules) and graduate transfer Micaiah Henry (Tennessee Tech/immediately eligible).
> Carolina’s top returning scorer, and 2019 SEC All-Freshman Team honoree, is sophomore guard AJ Lawson, who scored 13.4 points per outing last season, while dishing 2.9 assists per game.  Over the summer, Lawson competed for Team Canada at the FIBA U19 World Cup in Greece, leading the Canadians with 16.7 points per outing, including an event-high 31 points vs. Senegal.
> The Gamecocks lost two starters to injury early last season in sophomore guard Justin Minaya (missed final 27 games of the season) and rookie guard TJ Moss (missed 25 games last season); the duo have both fully recovered and are back on the court for the Garnet and Black.
> R-junior guard Jair Bolden, who was unable to play last season due to NCAA transfer rules (transferred in the summer of 2018 after playing two seasons at George Washington), will bring veteran leadership and proven scoring ability to the court this season for Carolina, as the Brooklyn, N.Y., native averaged 11.2 points per game as a sophomore for the Colonials, while also pacing the team with 98 assists on the season.
> In non-conference play, Carolina will host five-straight matchups to start the campaign, before traveling to Mexico for the Cancun Challenge, where matchups against Wichita State, and either West Virginia or Northern Iowa await.  In December, the Gamecocks host George Washington,  before a matchup at UMass, followed by a home contest against Houston and consecutive road games at Clemson and Virginia.
> In SEC action, the Gamecocks open league play on Jan. 7 at Colonial Life Arena against No. 6/6 Florida, while also hosting No. 2/2 Kentucky, No. 22/24 LSU, and No. -/25 Tennessee in conference play (rankings listed are preseason).
> Carolina recently announced it will add throwback uniforms to its lineup for game attire this upcoming season.  Fans can get their first glimpse of the throwback uniforms when the Gamecocks host Houston on Dec. 8 at Colonial Life Arena.
> South Carolina returns 43.9 percent of scoring from a year ago, 48.3 percent of its made field goals, and 45.7 percent of its rebounding, following the graduation of All-SEC forward Chris Silva, who led the Gamecocks with 15.2 points and 7.6 rebounds per game, and 150 made field goals last season.
> Sophomore guard AJ Lawson is Carolina’s top returning scorer after contributing 13.4 points per outing last season.  Lawson, who was named to the Jerry West Award Watch List last month, posted 18 double-figure scoring games last season, including six 20-point performances.
> South Carolina improved to 83-29 all-time in season openers, and a perfect 8-0 under the direction of Frank Martin in season lidlifters, when the Gamecocks posted a 77-55 win over North Alabama Nov. 6 at Colonial Life Arena.  Redshirt-sophomore forward Justin Minaya (17) and r-junior guard Jair Bolden (14) scored in double figures.
> R-freshman guard Jermaine Couisnard made his college debut vs. North Alabama, putting together a strong showing with nine points, four rebounds, two assists and a block in 22 minutes of action.  Couisnard missed the exhibition vs. CIU on Oct. 30 due to illness.
> Carolina improved to 2-0 on the young season when it posted a 66-32 victory over Wyoming at Colonial Life Arena on Sunday.  Four were in double figures for the Gamecocks, but the story of the game was the Carolina defense, which held Wyoming to just nine made field goals in the contest.
> Sophomore guard AJ Lawson and r-freshman guard Jermaine Couisnard each tallied 12 points to pace the Gamecocks in the win over the Cowboys.  Sophomore forward Alanzo Frink netted a career best 10 points, and r-junior guard Jair Bolden added 11.

THE NUMBERS
43.9% – South Carolina returns 43.9 percent of its scoring from last season following the departure of All-SEC forward Chris Silva, who led Carolina with a total of 486 points – 15.2 points per game – last season.
17/11 – In his return to the court for the first time in almost a year after missing the final 27 games of last season due to injury, r-sophomore forward Justin Minaya posted team highs of 17 points and 11 rebounds for the first double-double of his career vs. North Alabama on Nov. 6.
49.1% – South Carolina was solid from the field vs. UNA, hitting 28-of-57 attempts, 49.1%, including 54.1% of its two-point attempts.
23 – Sophomore guard AJ Lawson led Carolina in its lone exhibition contest with a team high 23 points.  Lawson connected on 7-of-11 attempts from the floor, including a trio of 3-pointers.
32 – Carolina held Wyoming to just 32 points in the non-conference matchup on Nov. 10.  The mark was the lowest opponent point total during the seven+ seasons under Coach Martin.
12 – Rookie forward Wildens Leveque was a perfect 4-of-4 from the floor and 4-of-5 from the free throw line for the first double-digit outing of his career, as he posted 12 points in Carolina’s Nov. 15 win over Cleveland State.

COMING UP NEXT
> Carolina stays home to host Gardner-Webb on Friday evening for a 7 p.m. ET matchup at Colonial Life Arena.  The meeting, which is the third all-time between the two schools, will be broadcast on SEC Network+ and the Gamecock Radio Network.