Gamecocks overcome foul play, match best start in 45 years

South Carolina said the December break from school gives it a chance to watch more film.

Perhaps the first movie should be, “What Is and Isn’t A Foul in 2015 College Basketball.”

The Gamecocks overcame a whistle-marred contest to thump Drexel 79-54 on Tuesday, improving to 9-0 for the first time since their 1970-71 ACC championship season. USC hasn’t been 10-0 since a 17-game winning streak to start the 1933-34 season, but the Gamecocks weren’t thinking of how far they can take their current streak after dousing the Dragons.

They were realizing the good times end soon if they don’t come out sharp and aggressive.

“That’s the official’s job. We’re physical, they’re physical,” coach Frank Martin said of the fouls. “They did their jobs, and I thought both teams adapted.”

“A lot of those fouls came from dribble penetration,” said guard Sindarius Thornwell, who scored 13 points. “It’s our job to protect our bigs. We let those guys get downhill. We’ve got to do a better job.”

The entire front line was in foul trouble from the tip, Laimonas Chatkevicius taking a seat with two fouls (each on offense) in the first two minutes. Mindaugas Kacinas, Michael Carrera and Eric Cobb quickly joined Chatkevicius as the Gamecocks leaned on their guards.

P.J. Dozier and Thornwell accepted the challenge, leading an 11-0 run as USC erased a six-point Drexel lead. The Gamecocks led by four at the half, but the statistics were harsh enough to knock the rust off a car bumper.

Twenty-five fouls, 18 made field goals, 30 free throws and 14 turnovers. “It’s hard, because we play defense very aggressive,” Thornwell said. “We have to sag off a little more and play a little softer.”

The Gamecocks regrouped. Kacinas and Thornwell opened the second half with 3-pointers around a Drexel miss and turnover, then Thornwell found Dozier for a layup and a foul. The Dragons (1-7) were in the middle of a 1-for-19 stretch from the field and never solved the riddle.

Whistles ceased, USC began fast-breaking and the Gamecocks pulled away. Dozier finished with a career-high 16 points and 16 attempts from the line when he hadn’t shot more than six in a game all year. The game ended with 47 combined fouls and 58 free-throw attempts.

“Coaches have been telling me to be more aggressive and try to get to the line more,” Dozier said.

USC got the win. The rest of the gory details – 23-of-39 from the line, more stagnant play from the forwards – the Gamecocks hope to 0be resolve before heading to Greenville to play Clemson on Friday.

TURNING POINT

With Drexel unable to connect on anything, the Gamecocks’ 9-0 run to start the second half broke open what was a four-point game.

THREE POINTS

Star of the game: Dozier had been getting a few questions about why he wasn’t scoring a lot of points. The answer was, the Gamecocks didn’t need him to, considering he’s the point guard and they have other shooters.

He showed he could score, though, leading the Gamecocks with 16 points and knocking down 10 free throws despite a shot that scrapes the bottom of the scoreboard before it comes down.

Play of the game: Thornwell’s feed to Dozier for a layup resulted in an and-1 and the beginning of the Dragons’ end.

Stat of the game: 23-of-39 from the line. “I’m not going to overreact after we shot the free throw pretty good all last year,” Martin said. “But believe me, that was addressed in the locker room.”

FROM THE BASELINE

The Lone Wolf: Chatkevicius was playing the best basketball of his career and had three consecutive 17-point games before the Western Carolina game. Since, he’s had 19 combined points in three games. While the first two fouls against him on Tuesday were ticky-tack … a senior has to learn quickly how to play under a referee’s fluctuating eye for fouls.

Silva-licious: Chris Silva continues to have three or four “Wow!” moments per game. The freshman’s rim-eating ability is amazing. Whether he can track future blocks from mid-court or get those arms onto a long rebound and force it back through the rim, he’s going to be a crowd favorite for a long time.

He posterized Thornwell with a dunk late in the game. Thornwell was going for a stickback, Silva came up and one-arm jammed it over his own teammate.

UP NEXT

Who: South Carolina at Clemson

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Where: Bon Secours Wellness Arena, Greenville

This story was originally published December 15, 2015 at 9:16 PM with the headline "Gamecocks overcome foul play, match best start in 45 years."