KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee is taking a road trip to South Carolina this weekend. The Vols and Gamecocks will square off for the second time in just over a month when they play tonight. The last time these two teams met, things were a bit different for both squads. Santiago Vescovi was playing in just his third collegiate game ever, while South Carolina entered that match up just two games above five hundred.
Fast forward to today, and things are looking a little different. Since the Gamecocks' narrow one point loss to Tennessee in Knoxville, they have turned things around for the better. South Carolina is 7-2 since that loss, and suddenly they find themselves in the thick of things near the top of the SEC standings. For the Vols, the month of January wasn't exactly one to remember. Integrating new faces like Vescovi and big man Uros Plavsic into the rotation has provided some depth, but there's a learning curve any time you add players in the middle of the season. Since their meeting with South Carolina last month, the Vols have gone just 4-5. They have shown flashes, but the consistency hasn't been there particularly on the offensive end. Today the Vols will look to carry the momentum over from Tuesday night's win over Arkansas.
Know the Opponent:
Frank Martin is in his eighth year has head coach at South Carolina, which simply means that you can count on the Gamecocks to play a tough, physical brand of basketball with an emphasis on the defensive end. Their defense has been very good. Opponents are shooting just 38.1% from the field, which is why South Carolina's defense is the best in all of the SEC in that statistical category. It doesn't get much easier for opponents in other facets of the game though. Martin's team ranks second best in the league in both turnovers forced per game and defensive three point percentage.
Since the January loss to the Vols, Jermaine Couisnard has taken over the point guard position. Down low, Maik Kostar has become a consistent factor for the Gamecocks. Kostar is averaging nearly 12 points per game this season, and is leading the team in rebounds and steals. At 6'11", he could be a problem down low if the Vols aren't physical. In other words, don't expect to see the exact same team that showed up to Knoxville back in January.
The fact of the matter is that both of these teams desperately need a win this evening. Half of the conference is separated by just 3 games. Aside from conference standings, if these two teams want to get into a serious conversation for a potential NCAA Tournament bid, they need to get quality wins when they can. Time is running out in the regular season, and so are the chances to pick up those quality wins. The Vols and Gamecocks will get things started at Colonial Life Arena at 6:00 PM.
