TheState.com: GoGamecocks: Men's Basketball

Muldrow surprises in exhibition

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:39 EST

Beyond the empty seats in Colonial Life Arena, this was the surest sign it was just an exhibition game: The first shot of the game was a 3-pointer by center Sam Muldrow - and it went in.

Yes, it was the same Muldrow who had never attempted a 3-pointer in his first two years at South Carolina. He tried another one late in USC's 78-55 victory against Division II Kentucky Wesleyan, and he made that too.

"He was slinging that thing tonight," USC coach Darrin Horn said.

Muldrow led the Gamecocks with 17 points on Thursday night. The stats will not count, but Horn was happy to see the aggressiveness out of Muldrow as the Gamecocks look for more scoring options.

"He told me in practice that whenever I get the ball to score and be aggressive," Muldrow said.

Auditions open for new Zam

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 01:28 EST

When the South Carolina men's basketball team takes the court for its exhibition game tonight, there will be a new starter at shooting guard. Zam Fredrick is gone, replaced by ...

Well, who knows yet. The coaching staff will decide before the game, and coach Darrin Horn emphasized Wednesday that the selection might not be much of an indicator for the season.

But more remains to be decided than simply who will be the fifth person announced during pregame introductions.

Much has been made of the Gamecocks returning four starters from a team that went 21-10 and ended a two-year postseason drought. The problem is the one who left averaged 15.7 points a game last season and was the second-leading scorer the past two seasons.

Fredrick was the second player after Devan Downey who the team knew would take the big shot. Fredrick hit two game-winners last year, at Baylor and home against Florida.

USC puts two on All-SEC team

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 22:47 EST

Two Gamecocks players were named to the coaches' All-SEC preseason team.

Downey was a unanimous selection to the first team, while senior forward Dominique Archie made the second team.

SEC Coaches All-SEC mens team

First team

Devan Downey, South Carolina, G, 5-9, 175

Nuggets sign ex-Gamecock Balkman to extension

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:08 EDT

DENVER | The Denver Nuggets have signed backup Renaldo Balkman to a contract extension and also exercised the fourth-year option on guard Arron Afflalo, who was acquired from Detroit last summer.

Known for his hustle and ability to slip through defenses for easy baskets, Balkman averaged a career-best five points and 3.8 rebounds while shooting a career-high 55.8 percent in 53 games with Denver last season.

Terms of Balkman's deal were not disclosed.

Afflalo has averaged just over a point and an assist in 18.5 minutes in his two games with the Nuggets.

Downey, Booker named to Naismith watch list

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 23:58 EDT

South Carolina's Devan Downey and Clemson's Trevor Booker were named to the preseason watch list for the Naismith Trophy for Men's College Player of the Year, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced Friday.

The Big East and Atlantic Coast conferences placed nine representatives apiece while the Big 12 and SEC each had eight. Big 12 member Kansas was represented by three players while six other schools featured two candidates.

The Big 12 conference has claimed two of the past three winners with a sophomore (Blake Griffin, Oklahoma, 2009) and a freshman (Kevin Durant, Texas, 2007). The tide may turn in 2010 as upperclassman claim 33 of the 50 spots in the 2009-10 preseason watch list. Seniors (19) and juniors (14) lead the way followed by 12 sophomores and five freshmen.

The watch list was compiled by the Atlanta Tipoff Club's Board of Selectors, which based its criteria on player performances from the previous year and expectations for the 2009-10 college basketball season.

The Naismith Trophy will be awarded at the NCAA Men's Final Four in Indianapolis, Ind.

[Video] Darrin Horn season preview

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:08 EDT

USC men's basketball coach Darrin Horn previews the upcoming season as part of media day.

Fan event includes debut of new uniforms

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:04 EDT

There was a difference in turnout for the South Carolina men's basketball team's second annual student scrimmage on Wednesday: More students, less players.

Four of the team's 13 players missed the practice, including the Gamecocks' best player. Senior point guard Devan Downey had flu-like symptoms, according to coach Darrin Horn.

Junior Johndre Jefferson, a junior college transfer expected to help with frontcourt depth, is estimated to be out 10-14 days with a strained right Achilles tendon.

Jefferson was at the scrimmage, wearing a boot on his right foot. But guards Stephen Spinella (concussion) and Robert Wilder (right foot sprain) were not and are listed as day-to-day. Forward Evka Baniulis missed the scrimmage because of a class conflict.

Jefferson seems unlikely to play in USC's exhition game Nov. 5 against Kentucky Wesleyan. His status for the season opener on Nov. 13 against Alabama A&M will be determined.

Downey, Jefferson to miss practice time

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:19 EDT

The South Carolina men's basketball team has been at practice less than a week and already has a full injury report.

Forward Johndre Jefferson, a junior college transfer expected to provide frontcourt depth, is out 10-14 days with an achilles strain. That means Jefferson will likely miss next week's exhibition game and his status could be in doubt for the regular season opener on Nov. 13.

Point guard Devan Downey, suffering from flu-like symptoms, will miss at least the next several days of practice, the team also announced Wednesday.

Freshman guard Stephen Spinella is listed as day-to-day after suffering a concussion in Tuesday's practice. And senior guard Robert Wilder has a right foot strain that could also cause him to miss some practice.

The Gamecocks' first exhibition game is Nov. 5, against Kentucky Wesleyan at the Colonial Life Arena.

USC transfer appreciates new start with Coastal

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 00:08 EDT

CONWAY - The public debut of Coastal Carolina's Chad Gray started inauspiciously.

The redshirt junior forward, a transfer from South Carolina, was stuffed by the rim on his first attempt in the dunk contest at Coastal's basketball rouser Monday.

"I didn't have my legs with me," Gray said with a smile. "I wanted to show a little something to the fans."

His performance in the dunk contest wasn't spectacular, but he soon flashed the potential that program insiders have been raving about for the past 16 months. During the team's ensuing 15-minute intrasquad scrimmage, the 6-foot-7 Gray showed Chanticleer fans what they can expect from him this season.

Gray knocked down three baskets, one from just inside the 3-point line, one over 6-foot-10 center Jon Pack in the paint and another on a layup, proving that he could be a true inside-outside threat. He was 3-for-5 from the field with one assist and a steal.

SEC coaches confident of better season

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 00:07 EDT

As last season went on and talk about the SEC's struggles grew louder, the league's coaches seemed to follow the classic emotional stages.

There was denial. The league was better than others thought and would get its regular number of postseason bids, they said.

Then there was anger, after the league was largely snubbed by the NCAA tournament selection committee.

Then came acceptance, to a point, and action to fix it.

Now the optimism is back. At Thursday's media day in Birmingham, sentiment was widespread that the league would return to getting at least six NCAA bids, with some predicting as many as eight.

More strides ahead for USC hoops

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:38 EDT

If Darrin Horn needed another reminder of the program-building still to be done, he got it as he sat at his table during Thursday's SEC media days.

The South Carolina coach sat almost alone for the final half of his hour-long appearance. Across the room, the media stayed in a throng around Florida coach Billy Donovan, whose team finished behind Horn's last year and is picked to do so again this season.

A few minutes earlier, Horn had said Florida was being overlooked in preseason predictions. It was pointed out to Horn that at that moment, Donovan and the Gators were far from overlooked.

"That's because there's a Hall of Famer in there," Horn said.

Donovan is not in the Hall yet, but Horn's statement will probably be true someday. Horn, meanwhile, is just entering his second year at USC.

USC transfer gets UGA coach's praise

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:38 EDT

BIRMINGHAM, ALA. - New Georgia coach Mark Fox gave his endorsement to one of South Carolina's offseason additions.

Malik Cooke transferred to USC from Nevada, where he played for Fox. Cooke transferred from Nevada after Fox's departure to be closer to his family in Charlotte.

Cooke will be eligible for the 2010-11 season with two years of eligibility remaining. Cooke is paying his own way to USC because Nevada did not release him from his scholarship.

Fox said he does not know the details of Cooke's situation at Nevada because it happened after he left. As for why Cooke ended up at USC rather than Georgia, Fox said he did not want to take his former players.

"Malik's a wonderful kid, love him to death, great family," Fox said. "I wasn't going to take my players from Nevada to Georgia. I love Nevada too much to have that even be perceived."

Charleston hoops tourney is no turkey trot

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 22:55 EDT

BOBBY CREMINS EATING a turkey burger on King Street is a fairly typical sight. The gregarious College of Charleston basketball coach likes turkey burgers. Almost as much as he likes shaking hands on King Street.

Cremins getting excited between bites about a basketball tournament not involving his own team? Now that's a little unusual.

But he likes the idea of the second annual ESPN Charleston Classic, citing three reasons:

The Nov. 18-22 event at the Carolina First Arena has an intriguing eight-team field led by South Carolina, Cremins' alma mater;

It's good for Charleston;

SEC basketball media days notebook

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:38 EDT

What a day here at the media daze. There will be a couple stories in Friday’s paper, but here are a few quick notes, mainly about the Gamecocks, from the afternoon session:

- Darrin Horn was asked about going into his second year, and the challenges that bring. The main one, he answered, was not getting complacent after a surprising good first year.

“We can’t just show up and do what we did last year,” Horn said. “As a program, we’ve only spent one year laying a foundation for what we want to do. To get to the level that we really want to be at, not just winning, but as a program, that’s going to take some time. So we’ve got to come back this year and continue to lay some bricks.”

- The topic of the league being better continued to reverberate. Horn was among those who agreed that the Gamecocks could drop a few spots in the division – they tied for first last year, and are picked fourth this year – and still make the NCAA tournament rather easily.

“You could drop two or three in a row and think your season’s coming to an end, and still end up winning the league,” Horn said. “It’s just that good. Ten-and-six could win the league.”

SEC basketball rising up

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:38 EDT

The SEC holds its basketball media day Thursday in Birmingham, Ala., featuring all 12 men's coaches and one player from each team. Five story lines as the season approaches:.

ALL ABOUT KENTUCKY AND COACH CAL

From the moment John Calipari accepted the Kentucky job, it was clear the Wildcats would be the focal point of the SEC entering the 2009-10 season.

Then the former Memphis coach collected a handful of big-time recruits, and Kentucky became a big national story, too.

The most ballyhooed new player is freshman John Wall. The point guard received votes for preseason player of the year. The 6-foot-4 Wall draws comparisons to Derrick Rose, the reigning NBA rookie of the year, who led Calipari's Memphis team to the 2008 NCAA championship game.

Media taps USC for fourth in SEC East

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:38 EDT

South Carolina shared the SEC East title last year and brings back four starters and five seniors, but the Gamecocks are picked to fall three spots, according to preseason voting by media covering the league.

It is the latest sign of how much the SEC is expected to improve this season.

The Gamecocks are picked to finish fourth in the East behind Kentucky, Tennessee and Vanderbilt, in voting that was announced Monday.

USC senior guard Devan Downey made the preseason All-SEC first team for the third consecutive season. Downey also received three votes, out of 25 total, for preseason player of the year.

Kentucky was the overwhelming pick to win the league, with Wildcat center Patrick Patterson earning the most votes (11) for preseason player of the year. Freshman John Wall finished second with six votes.

Gamecocks picked fourth in SEC East hoops poll

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:34 EDT

South Carolina split the SEC East division title last year, and brings back four starters and five seniors. And yet the Gamecocks are picked to fall three spots, according to preseason voting by media covering the league.

That's the latest sign of how much the league is expected to improve this season.

The Gamecocks are picked to finish fourth in the East, behind Kentucky, Tennessee and Vanderbilt, in voting that was announced Monday.

Senior guard Devan Downey made the preseason All-SEC first team, which shouldn't be a surprise since he made the first-team after his sophomore and junior seasons. Downey also received three votes, out of 25 total, for preseason player of the year.

Veteran team aims for NCAA

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 01:28 EDT

It's been the goal every year since Devan Downey walked on campus. But after the way last season ended, the South Carolina star was even more emphatic this time.

At a minimum, this team wants to make the NCAA tournament.

"I'm not gonna avoid that. That's our team goal," Downey said. "If we don't do that, I failed as a leader."

The USC basketball team begins practice today with its best shot to reach the Big Dance since 2004, the last time the Gamecocks made it.

Downey, a two-time first-team All-SEC pick, is among four starters back from a team that finished 21-10 and won 10 games in the SEC last season, but they missed the NCAAs after losing four of their final five games.

USC to host ladies basketball clinic

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 21:14 EDT

South Carolina will host the second annual "Darrin Horn Ladies Clinic" on Nov. 7 from 9-11:30 a.m. at the Gamecocks basketball practice facility.

Registration is $30 if by Oct. 30 and $35 after. USC students receive a discounted rate of $10 and may use their Carolina Cash Card for payment. Check-in will begin at 8 a.m. in the main lobby of the practice facility.

All attendees will receive a T-shirt and the first 300 will receive a gift certificate from Garnet and Black Traditions at Jewelry Warehouse. All proceeds will benefit the V Foundation for Cancer Research.

For more information, contact Holly Moring at (803) 777-4198.

- From Staff Reports

[Video] Hoops update: Horn, new Gamecocks

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 06:47 EDT

USC men's basketball head coach Darrin Horn gave an update Wednesday on the team's progress and introduced the media to four new players.