Kentucky Wildcat Basketball Preview – Know Your Enemy: South Carolina Gamecocks

GAME 26

FEBRUARY 19, 2011 – 4 PM

SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS  (13-11)  (4-7)

RUPP ARENA – LEXINGTON, KY 

TV- SEC NETWORK

SERIES HISTORY

KENTUCKY LEADS 43-10

LAST 5 GAMES

1/22/2011:  KENTUCKY  67  South Carolina  58

2/25/2010: KENTUCKY 82 South Carolina 61

1/26/2010: South Carolina 68 KENTUCKY 62

2/25/2009: South Carolina 77 KENTUCKY 59

1/31/2009: South Carolina 78 KENTUCKY 77

3/5/2008: KENTUCKY 71 South Carolina 63

While this game is still a very important game for Kentucky to win, it will have an entirely different aura to it this time around.  When we first met the Gamecocks, they were 12-5 and 3-1 in the SEC and a Kentucky loss would put them two games behind the Gamecocks.  less than a month later, while neither team is in danger of ruling the SEC East, the Gamecocks have fallen apart.  The home loss to Kentucky kicked off a downward spiral in which the Gamecocks have gone 1-6. with the only win over lowly LSU.  The Gamecocks also can “boast” of a 79-64 home court loss to equally low Auburn.  Needless to say, the only tournament the Gamecocks can look forward to are of the “IT” variety.

Rupp has been a very friendly place for Kentucky against the Gamecocks, with the Cats going 12-1 out of the last 13 games and 22-2 overall.  While South Carolina does not have a lot a stake in the SEC race, Kentucky sits a game behind Vanderbilt for that number two spot in the SEC East, and that all important first round tournament bye.  So needless to say, Kentucky needs this one.

THE STARTERS

#23 – G – BRUCE ELLINGTON – FR – 5’9 – 197

13.9 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 3.3 apg

#2 – G – BRIAN RICHARDSON – FR -6’4 – 164

7.0 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 0.6 apg

#15 – F – MALIK COOKE – JR – 6’6 – 213

9.3 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 0.8 apg

#44 – F – SAM MULDROW – SR – 6’9 229

10.1 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 0.4 apg

#24 – F – DAMONTRE HARRIS – FR – 6’9 214

3.1 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 0.4 apg

BACKCOURT

Bruce Ellington was held in check in the first meeting as he shot just 3-11 from the field and racked up four fouls in just 24 minutes.  If you recall, DeAndre Liggins frustrated Ellington so much that he got a technical for slapping the ball at DeAndre.  Regardless, Ellington’s play is reminiscent of former Wildcat killer Devan Downey and Ellington actually shoots better from 3-point range.  As the losses have mounted though, Ellington has been doing too much to carry the team and is hitting just 22% of his treys.  He has had double digits in 3-point attempts in three of the last four games, so expect him to fire away when he can.  Brian Richardson, on the other hand, is really struggling as a freshman.  He went just 1-9 versus Kentucky and is an extremely inconsistent shooter.  Overall, he is decent from long range, hitting 34.5%.  On the other hand, he turns the ball over way too much and is not a strong rebounder.  Ramon Galloway brings some 3-point shooting off the bench and is actually averaging double digits with 10.4 a game. He is a bit smaller (6’2) and slower version of Doron Lamb, but is hitting 31.7% on his treys but he can get hot and dump in lots of points. He has hit just 3-21 in the last few games however, and shot 2-9 versus UK earlier. 

FRONTCOURT

Malik Cooke will be getting the start tomorrow night due to a foot injury to Lakeem Jackson.  Granted, that may not be a great thing for UK as Cooke scored 22 points versus Tennessee in his first of three starts for Jackson.  Cooke has also been in the starting lineup for Damontre Harris this season, so Cooke has been getting lots of minutes.  He is the second best rebounder for South Carolina and has picked up his scoring lately with four double digit games out of the last five.  In the earlier meeting, Cooke fouled out in just 19 minutes with four points, but he has been playing to well lately to disregard.  Sam Muldrow had a huge game in the first matchup, dropping 23 points on the Wildcats and grabbed 13 boards.  Muldrow can dominate the game as a rebounder and is blocking 3.5 shots a game.  Muldrow also plays pretty well against Kentucky and you would think he would be inspired in his last trip to Rupp.  DaMontre Harris has not been much of a scorer his freshman campaign, but is pretty solid defensively.  He had 4 points and 4 boards against UK earlier, but with Jackson out, he should see more than his customary 14 minutes a game.   

OUTLOOK

With no Lakeem Jackson, this is a very thin Gamecock team and really have no front court bench strength, which definitely plays to Kentucky’s advantage.  Muldrow and Ellington can have a big game, but you get the feeling they are the only two weapons the Gamecock have that can take over a game.  This should be a game that Kentucky can jump out to a big lead and control it throughout the game without too much drama.  Not to beat up the Gamecocks too much, but this should not be much of a game.  KENTUCKY 81, South Carolina 65

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