South Carolina game thread

[dawgday166]

Mississippi State (12-1, 0-0 SEC) at South Carolina (6-7, 1-0 SEC)
Tip : 8:00 PM CT TV: ESPNU

The Bulldogs are back in action against the Gamecocks after a 10 day break following a Dec. 29 103-81 win over BYU. South Carolina started their SEC slate with a dramatic 71-69 win over Florida that included a full-court pass and dunk by Chris Silva with 1.9 to go.

South Carolina Team Stats:

Points Per Game: 73.8
Points Per Game Allowed: 70.3
FGA-FGM: 331-783 (42.3%)
3FGA-3FGM: 87-278 (31.3%)
FTA-FTM: 211-296 (71.3%)

Common Opponents:

Wofford: MSU won 98-87; USC lost 81-61
Clemson: MSU won 82-71; USC lost 78-68

Leaders:

Chris Silva (Sr.): 12.9 ppg, 6.7 rpg
A.J. Lawson (Fr.): 13.2 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.2 apg
Hassani Gravett (Sr.): 10.8 ppg, 2.3 apg

jwells' Analysis

In one the surprises of opening weekend in the SEC, South Carolina was able to go into Florida and win 71-69. I understand Florida isn't a top 10 team but I thought the Gators were starting to figure things out after they thrashed Butler just one game before. While freshman AJ Lawson is leading the team in scoring, his production has dropped off dramatically as the competition has ramped up. He scored just 6 points against Florida and 8 against Clemson before that. That is understandable as it takes time to adjust to level he's now playing at.

With that being said, Chris Silva is the unquestioned leader of the team in my opinion. He has really stepped up his play lately and will be tough to handle in the paint. BYU's Joeli Childs was able to handle Holman and Ado in the paint for portions of the Bulldogs' win against the Cougars and the Dogs will need to step up the post defense against Silva. Gravett has been coming off the bench and had an up and down year to this point but did go off for 22 against the Gators on Saturday night. He has been around against the Dogs plenty and am confident Lamar and Nick will be able to hold him check. The rest of the team is very inconsistent offensively but are hard-nosed and scrappy on the defensive end, a staple of a Frank Martin team.

Overall, the Gamecocks have struggled to get it going this year but will look to build off their win over Florida. Going on the road in the SEC is always a significant task and tonight will be no different. If the Bulldogs can improve their defense and take good shots, Mississippi State should win. The key for us this year has been taking open shots and working hard enough to get those open shots. We have really seemed to have figured that out recently and the long stretches without a basket have dramatically reduced. Florida shot the ball very poorly from 3 on Saturday (9-31) and still had to blow a 2nd half double digit lead to lose. Barring a clunker of a shooting performance, I think the Dogs will go in and get the win, 75-68.

Not a bad analysis. You did miss on Kotsar tho. He ate our lunch.

[Lord McBuckethead]

Well, poor defense and poor offense equals loss. I mean do we even have a defensive or offensive strategy? Does every team in the nation have the ability to coach bigs except us? Now let me say Nick and Ado played well and this is not a criticism on Ado in anyway. He hustled every possession. But how come we never have a guy that can just post up and dominate a game? Silva won the game. Made us late all over the court on defense.

[Dawg2003]

Sometimes I wonder if Ben Howland just doesn't give a sh*t anymore. I mean, he clearly doesn't hold the players accountable for bad shot selection (Peters mainly). Maybe he wants to go back to Malibu and spend time with his grandkids.

[Coach007]

That's Peter's mo.... Hurts youas much as he helps you.

[msstate7]

It?s so incredibly frustrating to me that Howland still refuses to play any zone. We get worked hard all the time in our crappy man, and it?s just like howland can?t see it.

[msstate7]

Are we gonna miss Stapleton?s toughness this year? Sure he was a knucklehead at times, but I liked his toughness

[HoopsDawg]

It?s so incredibly frustrating to me that Howland still refuses to play any zone. We get worked hard all the time in our crappy man, and it?s just like howland can?t see it.

Zone would have been a good move tonight. Howland just won't do it.

[CadaverDawg]

We get pushed around in the paint because we have a bunch of string beans with no girth. Need some beef inside.

[Bdawg]

It?s so incredibly frustrating to me that Howland still refuses to play any zone. We get worked hard all the time in our crappy man, and it?s just like howland can?t see it.

Does that seems so hard to change up? It's not like it takes a lot of brains to play zone. And it just changes things up from time to time. Not to mention, at least making the other team prepare for it some.

[Leeshouldveflanked]

13-23 from the Free Throw line...

[Dawg2003]

Wright State has a better NET ranking than South Carolina.

[jwells]

Not a bad analysis. You did miss on Kotsar tho. He ate our lunch.

True. But it was his first career 20-point game so definitely didn't see it coming

[msstate7]

True. But it was his first career 20-point game so definitely didn't see it coming

If Holman and perry defend like last night going forward, highlight the opposing 4 in every game preview

[dawgday166]

Not a bad analysis. You did miss on Kotsar tho. He ate our lunch.

No worries. Do you watch a lot of college hoops and if so, nationwide or just mostly SEC?

[dawgday166]

If Holman and perry defend like last night going forward, highlight the opposing 4 in every game preview

We show flashes of being a very good defensive team at times, but we are so inconsistent and it does look to me like we're pretty lazy (or maybe tired) at times too. And it's everyone, here and there.

If I recall, last year when Howland focused on the D more in practice, we really got a lot better there, but then the O wasn't that good. Last night until the final minute or 2 of game and OT, our O moves ball pretty well and gets open looks a good bit of the time. D needs to be stifling to me for majority of game and it just isn't. This team just isn't tough to me.

That's why I haven't been too high on this team yet. It's been about 11 to 12 or so years since I really followed hoops closely, but this team just doesn't have the feel of an elite team (elite 8 or better) to me at all yet. Could be Sweet 16 maybe, but Howland needs to tighten the ship up.

Still a little early but by mid-Feb we need to be rounding into top form to make runs in the tourneys. Maybe last night's game will wake this team up. Sure hope so.

[jwells]

No worries. Do you watch a lot of college hoops and if so, nationwide or just mostly SEC?

I do watch a lot when I can across the country. I like having an idea of who I'm watching in March.

[smootness]

I think Howland, somewhere along the line, got a little scared to be a stern guy, or a disciplinarian, and so now he tries to keep things lighter and the downside is that we are unfocused and undisciplined too often. He needs to get back to the tough guy who only cared about defense and rebounding and not even worry about any elite recruits. Seriously.

[tcdog70]

dammit boys just make our free throws and we win . Shitty no call on Q at the end. we should have let Holman or Nick take the last shots. Worst game for Perry this year.

[tcdog70]

Howland is past his prime. He's still a good recruiter, but he isn't a great coach anymore.

you are full of shit---

[msstate7]

you are full of shit---

Most of that was just mad posting, but I do think we have a lesser version of the Howland Pitt and UCLA had. Still though, howland is pretty dang good. It was a stupid comment by me