GoGamecocks.com

Winning debut may be a big loss

First victory of Horn era clouded by left knee injury to starting guard Raley-Ross

mhoops

South Carolina forward Mike Holmes, back, goes up for two points as Jacksonville State forward Amadou Mbodji, front, defends, during their game at the Colonial Life Arena, in Columbia, S.C., Friday, Nov. 14, 2008.

Brett Flashnick/brettflashnick.com

Written by SETH EMERSON

semerson@thestate.com
Posted on 11.15.08
email print reprint or license
Comments (0)

Related Content

The first official game of the Darrin Horn era opened with a rousing introduction, a round of powerhouse dunks and a big lead.

It ended with a closer-than-expected victory, further tempered by an injury to one of the team’s key players.

South Carolina won its first game under Horn, its new coach, beating Jacksonville State 89-76 on Friday. But the team has lost starting guard Brandis Raley-Ross for up to a month. He suffered a left knee injury going for a loose ball with 32 seconds left in the first half. Raley-Ross has a sprained knee, the team said Saturday.

The injury, and a lackadaisical second half, led to what seemed to be a subdued reaction among Horn and the players.

“Nothing special with the first win,” senior guard Zam Fredrick said. “Coach Horn, he’s used to winning. So jumping around, anything that we could’ve given him, he’s seen that already. He’s been to the Sweet 16.”

Horn spent his first game spreading the minutes around, but out of necessity rather than the desire to develop depth. The other starting guards, Devan Downey and Fredrick, were in constant foul trouble, and starting forwards Dominique Archie and Mike Holmes had to play through minor injuries.

USC led by as many as 26 before the onslaught of injury and foul trouble. It spent the second half stopping Jacksonville State —the only other Division I team with the Gamecocks nickname — from getting it back into single digits.

The injury to Raley-Ross leaves USC with just nine scholarship players, two of them former walk-ons, for an indefinite period. Sophomore center Sam Muldrow is out with what Horn has called academic issues, and the timetable for his return has not been announced.

For parts of the second half USC’s backcourt consisted of the two former walk-ons, Robert Wilder and Branden Conrad.

“I’ve been concerned about depth since April,” Horn said. “We know that that’s something that we’re going to have to deal with. Obviously we’ll find out what the situation is with Brandis. But we’re not going to worry about it, we’re just going to evaluate it, and do what we need to do to give ourselves the best chance to win.”

Fredrick fouled out with 7:41 left. But he still ended up with 17 points in just 21 minutes, tying Holmes for the team high in points. Six different USC players scored in double figures.

USC scored the game’s first 10 points, and appeared on the verge of an easy blowout. The depth problems came out in the second half, but Horn also thought his team exhibited poor clock management, taking too many early shots.

It was a rather meager crowd at the Colonial Life Arena, perhaps due to fans heading to Florida for the football game. Attendance was announced at 11,439, but the lower section was about two-thirds full, and the upper section was nearly empty.

The man who hired Horn, athletics director Eric Hyman, was among those who was already in Gainesville.

Those who missed Horn’s first win can get back in town by Sunday to see him try and get his second, when USC hosts Winthrop.

“We’re just happy to get the first win under our belt and get ready to go back on Sunday,” Fredrick said. “I think we’ll celebrate when we get in the conference tournament or to the NCAA tournament. That’s what the main goal is.”

Reach Emerson at (803) 771-8676.

  • Search
  • GoGamecocks.com
  • Web search powered by YAHOO! SEARCH

Recent Video

Latest Forum posts