USC comes up cold in loss to Clemson, but Frank Martin says Gamecocks ‘got better’
CLEMSON – Frank Martin said his South Carolina basketball team got better Tuesday evening. The Gamecocks lost 64-48 to their biggest rival, but their effort was what stuck most with the head coach.
“We fought today,” Martin said. “I’m proud of my guys. I’m not happy we lost to Clemson, I’m not happy we didn’t shoot free throws, but it is what it is.
“We’re a better team than what we were 10 days ago.”
Ten days earlier, USC was on a three-game winning streak heading into an extended break for final exams. But those victories over UMass, Wyoming and Coastal Carolina didn’t do much to impress Martin. He alerted media members his guys were in store for intense practice sessions.
In Martin’s eyes, that work showed up before 8,031 at Littlejohn Coliseum. He liked the way the Gamecocks guarded the Tigers, holding them 15 points below their season average.
“I thought defensively we fought them,” Martin said. “I got no complaints with the fight in our guys.”
But the post-game scene couldn’t be all positive. After all, USC dropped to 8-3 and it scored its fewest points of the season. It shot 35 percent from the field and 12 percent from 3-point range.
The Gamecocks missed 12 of their first 14 shots. They didn’t connect on a 3-pointer until their 12th attempt – a Hassani Gravett make with 6:46 left in the second half.
“We had some shots, we didn’t make them,” Martin said. “They made theirs, we didn’t make ours.”
Junior forward Chris Silva led USC with 12 points and nine rebounds. Wes Myers came off the bench for 10 points.
The Gamecocks never got within eight of Clemson (10-1) after the 12:33 mark of the second half.
“They were good looks,” Silva said of USC’s shot selection. “We just got to jump up and make the shots.”
All three of Carolina’s losses this season have come when it’s shot under 45 percent from the field.
Gravett and Frank Booker, Carolina’s starting backcourt, battled foul trouble all night. It forced Martin to rotate Myers, Kory Holden and David Beatty, a guard trio that hasn’t flashed much of a perimeter threat this season.
Holden finished with eight points – his most in over a month – but exited with a hamstring injury midway through the second half.
“I don’t know if it’s a cramp or what grade of a pull it is,” Martin said. “I have no idea.”
The Gamecocks trailed by just five at halftime. In the second half, Clemson attempted eight free throws while Carolina didn’t attempt one.
“Our guys are gonna learn what it’s like to go on the road and not shoot any free throws in the second half,” Martin said. “You can’t make excuses, you got to go play.”
Clemson’s Marcquise Reed scored 18 of his game-high 25 points over the final 20 minutes.
“Really kind of a workman-like performance,” said Tigers coach Brad Brownell. “Playing South Carolina you know it’s going to be physical. You know they’re going to get after you defensively. I thought our guys matched that intensity level.”
The Gamecocks now break for Christmas and next host Division II Limestone on Dec. 27. The Tigers host Louisiana-Lafayette on Friday.
CLEMSON 64, SOUTH CAROLINA 48
SOUTH CAROLINA (8-3): Minaya 0-6 0-0 0, Silva 4-10 4-4 12, Kotsar 3-5 0-0 6, Booker 0-4 2-2 2, Gravett 1-7 0-0 3, Haase 1-5 0-0 2, Myers 4-7 1-2 10, Holden 4-5 0-0 8, Hinson 0-0 0-0 0, Beatty 2-5 1-2 5. Totals 19-54 8-10 48.
CLEMSON (10-1): Grantham 2-7 0-0 5, Thomas 4-6 0-2 8, DeVoe 4-10 3-4 12, Mitchell 3-8 4-5 10, Reed 6-11 8-11 25, Simms 0-1 1-2 1, Skara 1-2 0-0 3, Donnal 0-1 0-0 0, Trapp 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 20-46 16-24 64.
Halftime—Clemson 31-26. 3-Point Goals—South Carolina 2-16 (Myers 1-2, Gravett 1-5, Minaya 0-1, Silva 0-1, Booker 0-2, Beatty 0-2, Haase 0-3), Clemson 8-20 (Reed 5-9, Skara 1-2, Grantham 1-3, DeVoe 1-4, Mitchell 0-1, Simms 0-1). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—South Carolina 29 (Silva 9), Clemson 32 (Grantham 7). Assists—South Carolina 3 (Minaya, Gravett, Holden 1), Clemson 8 (Reed 3). Total Fouls—South Carolina 17, Clemson 9. A—8,031 (10,000).
This story was originally published December 19, 2017 at 9:07 PM with the headline "USC comes up cold in loss to Clemson, but Frank Martin says Gamecocks ‘got better’."