Comments
Phil Sandlin/AP/
South Carolina coach Darrin Horn, right, talks to Devan Downey during their game Feb. 3 at Florida.
GoGamecocks.com
USC must fare well on road to ensure NCAA bid
Before the season, USC men’s basketball coach Darrin Horn emphasized the need to win home games. Having largely accomplished that, his hope now is that his team will have to defend its court only one more time.
That will depend largely on how the Gamecocks perform on the road the rest of the season.
USC will travel for two of its final three regular-season games, starting tonight at Vanderbilt. Then it’s on to the SEC tournament, which is in Tampa, Fla.
After that, South Carolina will be bound for the postseason. If USC keeps winning, the postseason most likely will mean the NCAA tournament and its neutral sites. But if the Gamecocks falter, they could face an unwanted home game or two in the NIT.
“We’ve played all these teams once before, so we know what we’re getting into,” forward Dominique Archie said. “But I think, as a team, everybody thinks we have a good chance to win out.”
South Carolina leads the SEC East thanks to a perfect record at home in the league. Its only home loss came to No. 12 Clemson.
Road games have been a different story. The Gamecocks are 2-4 on the road in the SEC and 4-5 overall.
Two of its best wins, against Baylor and Kentucky, have come on the road, but those teams have underperformed and could miss the NCAA tournament.
The only nonconference road loss, against College of Charleston, doesn’t look as bad as it once did. The Cougars are 21-7, the Gamecocks were without center Sam Muldrow, and it was a two-point loss in overtime.
The home-court emphasiswas among Horn’s first steps toward establishing a winning team. Now, in the stretch run — the team ends the regular season with a March 7 trip to Georgia — Horn said making hay on the road will be an additional emphasis.
“We’ve really been talking about that since going to Kentucky, when we were able to win that one, and saying once you take care of business at home, the next step is winning on the road to put yourself in position to be near the top of the conference,” Horn said. “With two of the last three on the road, that’s definitely going to come back into play.”
The Commodores, though fifth in the East, are 4-2 at Memorial Gym. The unusual configuration, with the teams sitting on opposite baselines, gives the home team an advantage. Vanderbilt was undefeated at home last season but 2-6 in SEC road games.
While the Commodores have struggled lately, losing at Georgia on Saturday, they beat Kentucky two weeks ago at home.
“They’re a team that plays well at home, that’s gained experience and confidence from going through a conference season, and it’s definitely a dangerous game,” Horn said.
Conrad to return next week? Branden Conrad, out since December with a foot injury, might return for the Tennessee game. The senior guard has not practiced at full speed yet but could early next week, according to Horn.
That would allow Conrad to play on senior night. The former walk-on started seven games before getting injured during practice.
Reach Emerson at (803) 771-8676.
Most Viewed Stories
- Notes: Saunders critical of pass opportunities
- Commentary: Play-call duties at heart of debate
- Recruiting: Lattimore, Fulton venture out of state
- Coming unraveled: Hogs handle Gamecocks
- Soccer: Women win SEC title
- Morris: Lack of progress maddening for USC
- Quarles Spends Saturday Night at Death Valley
- QBs aim to be elite company
- Oh, snap: O-line's crumble continues
- Saunders speaks out: Targets a concern
Recent Video
Latest Forum posts
- From The Fighting Fan?. letters to the players!!!!
- Too many just hatched on here
- In 06 we put up 44 on Houston in the Liberty Bowl. In 09 we struggle to score & Houston is AP#13. Why?
- who coach tanner said could be his closer if we played today and who the starting catcher so far
- New basketball uniforums debuted
@Nyx.CommentBody@