Kentucky Wildcat Basketball – Know Your Enemy: South Carolina Gamecocks

GAME 16

SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS (8-6)
JANUARY 7, 2012 – 4:00 PM
RUPP ARENA – LEXINGTON, KY
TV – SEC NETWORK

KENTUCKY LEADS SERIES 44-10

LAST FIVE MEETINGS
2/9/2011: KENTUCKY 90 South Carolina 59
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

Kentucky has not won the past three games against South Carolina after losing three in a row, which included the Gamecocks shocking 68-62 upset of the then number one Wildcats. Kentucky is 7-3 over the past ten games against South Carolina. The Gamecocks were picked near the bottom of the preseason SEC rankings this year, but come into Rupp Arena playing their best ball of the season. South Carolina has won four games in a row and six of seven, after starting the season 2-5. Granted, the Gamecocks have not played a tough schedule overall but do have games against then #1 UNC and then #2 Ohio State on their resume. They lost to North Carolina 87-62 at Chapel Hill but gave Ohio State all they wanted in a 74-66 loss at home. While they are playing better, Darrin Horn’s team has lost to Elon and Tennessee State this year. This game should be a win for Kentucky, but South Carolina is not a team to be taken lightly. Let’s meet the Gamecocks.

PROBABLE STARTERS

#23 – G – BRUCE ELLINGTON – SO – 5’9, 197
8.3 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 1.3 APG

#30 – F – LAKEEM JACKSON – JR – 6’5, 230
5.3 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 2.1 APG

#15 – F – MALIK COOKE – SR – 6’6, 213
13.1 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 2.0 APG

#24 – F – DAMONTRE HARRIS – SO – 6’9, 214
5.7 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 0.6 APG

#13 – F – ANTHONY GILL – FR – 6’8, 232
8.4 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 1.5 APG

THE BENCH

#5 – G – ERIC SMITH – SO – 5’11, 211
6.8 PPG, 1.8 APG, 1.2 RPG

#32 – G – DAMIEN LEONARD – FR – 6’5, 179
6.9 PPG, 1.4 RPG. 0.4 APG

#33 – F – R.J LAWSON – SO – 6’8, 196
6.1 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 0.8 APG

#2 – G – BRIAN RICHARDSON – SO – 6’4, 164
3.6 PPG, 1.4 RPG, 0.6 APG

NATIONAL STAT RANKINGS / TEAM STATS

POINTS PER GAME:
KENTUCKY: 81.0 (13TH)
SOUTH CAROLINA 64.4 (248TH)

REBOUNDS PER GAME
KENTUCKY: 42.6 (3RD)
SOUTH CAROLINA: 33.3 (257TH)

ASSISTS PER GAME
KENTUCKY: 14.3 (83RD)
SOUTH CAROLINA: 10.9 (301ST)

SHOOTING %
KENTUCKY: 48.5 (22ND)
SOUTH CAROLINA: 43.0% (191ST)

3-PT %
KENTUCKY: 88-242 36.4%
SOUTH CAROLINA: 92-267 34.5%

FT %
KENTUCKY: 263-371 (70.9%)
SOUTH CAROLINA: 163-237 (68.8%)

A/TO RATIO
KENTUCKY: 1.05
SOUTH CAROLINA: 0.83

Believe it or not, Kentucky has a lot to prove coming into this game. The Wildcats are coming off a horrible shooting performance last week against Louisville and a horrid first half against UALR. Kentucky fans want to see that smooth flowing, high octane offense of the first thirteen games of the season and South Carolina sure the cure-all to the Cats’ so called problems. The Gamecocks come in this game with a four game winning streak but boast just one decent win on the season (Clemson) and they have suffered losses to Elon and Tennessee State.

With football season over, Bruce Ellington should see a return to the starting lineup. If not, Eric Smith will continue to start. Ellington won’t make a ton of difference as this is one of the worst passing teams in college basketball. Only Malik Cooke averages in double digits and this is a very poor shooting and scoring team.

A lot has been made of the fact that South Carolina fought Ohio State for most of the game when the two teams met earlier. First, that game was in South Carolina, not Rupp, where the Gamecocks are 2-23. Secondly, Jared Sullinger was injured in that game. Kentucky has everyone healthy. The Gamecocks like to play a physical gritty defense, and that may keep the game close for a while, but I can’t see them holding Kentucky down for too long. Kentucky knows they need to get their engine running smoothly again, so look for Kentucky to run out to a 93-70 win.