Kentucky Wildcats vs. South Carolina Gamecocks: Game Notes for 3/1
By Alan Smith
Feb 22, 2014; Columbia, SC, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks guard Duane Notice (10) passes away from Georgia Bulldogs guard Kenny Gaines (12) and Georgia Bulldogs guard J.J. Frazier (30) in the first half at The Colonial Life Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports
Tomorrow afternoon in Columbia, SC, the Cats take on the Gamecocks in the first and only regular season matchup between the two teams. Here are some game notes courtesy of the UKAA:
• The Wildcats are in their 111th season of basketball and are the national leaders in total wins with 2,132.
• UK leads the all-time series with South Carolina by a 47-10 overall margin including an 18-6 record when
the game is played in Columbia, S.C.
• Kentucky has played consecutive overtime games for the first time since 1978 both of which were at home.
Mirroring this season’s consecutive overtime games, UK won the first meeting with Kansas before falling to
Indiana in the second game in 1978.
• Sophomore Willie Cauley-Stein posted his third double-double of the season in the overtime loss to Arkansas
with team-highs in points (16) and rebounds (13).
• With two blocks against the Razorbacks, Cauley-Stein now has 84 on the season which is the third most
blocks in a single season in program history. The top three shot blockers have played in each of the last
three seasons for UK. Anthony Davis had 186 and Nerlens Noel with 106 swats.
• John Calipari coached teams are 122-35 (.777) in the months of March and April.
• Entering the week, Kentucky owned an RPI of 10th in the country. UK has a 13-7 record against teams in
the top 100 of the RPI.
• Julius Randle captured several weekly honors including Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week,
Wayman Tisdale National Freshman of the Week and the SEC Player of the Week, after leading UK to wins
over Ole Miss and LSU last week. He averaged 16.5 points and 14.0 rebounds per game while scoring UK’s
final bucket with 3.9 seconds remaining in overtime to down LSU.
• Randle captured his 15th double-double of the season in the loss to Arkansas with 14 points and 10
rebounds. He is now 10th in the single season UK record books for double-doubles on the year.
A Look at the Series …
Scouting the Gamecocks
South Carolina comes into the game with an 10-18 overall record and a 3-12 mark in the SEC after a 83-67 loss against Auburn. With the loss, the Gamecocks remain at the bottom of the SEC standings. The Gamecocks are led by Senior guard Brenton Williams (14.7 PPG), and Freshman guard Sindarius Thornwell (13.5 PPG).
Series History vs. South Carolina
Kentucky owns a 47-10 record in the all-time series, including an 18-6 record on the road in Columbia. The Cats won the last meeting between the two teams last season, 77-55.
South Carolina Coach Frank Martin
Frank Martin is in his second season at South Carolina with a 24-36 overall record. He has an 0-2 overall record against Kentucky.
Last Time vs. the Gamecocks
Kentucky got out to a quick start and didn’t look back, on their way to blowing out South Carolina. The Cats maintained a 45-24 lead at halftime, and had five scorers in double-figures, including Julius Mays who led the Cats with 15 points.