South Carolina-Florida basketball: How to watch the Elite Eight rematch
Who: South Carolina (12-7, 3-4 SEC) at No. 20 Florida (14-5, 6-1)
When: 7 p.m. Wednesday
Where: O’Connell Center
KenPom prediction: Florida 75, South Carolina 66
TV: SEC Network
Radio: 107.5 FM The Game in Columbia area
Series: Florida leads, 44-25
Streak: South Carolina’s won three of the last four meetings
Last meeting: March 26, 2017 – South Carolina won 77-70 in the NCAA East Regional final in New York
SOUTH CAROLINA
Coach: Frank Martin (225-135 in 11 seasons overall; Sixth season at USC — 108-81). Martin is 3-5 against Florida.
Projected starters: G Wes Myers (7.4 ppg); G Evan Hinson (3.0); F Justin Minaya (8.4); F Chris Silva (14.5); F Maik Kotsar (8.5)
RPI: 53
KenPom: 77
Last game: Lost to Tennessee 70-63 on Saturday
Notes: Silva was held to six points against the Volunteers. He’s totaled at least six points from free throws alone in 11 games this season. ... Minaya’s 16 points against Tennessee snapped an eight-game stretch where he failed to reach double-figures in scoring. … The Gamecocks are No. 2 in the SEC in offensive rebounds per game (12.7). They had 15 offensive boards against Tennessee, but only eight second-chance points.
FLORIDA
Coach: Mike White (163-69 in seven seasons overall; Third season at Florida – 62-29). White is 1-3 against South Carolina.
Projected starters: G Chris Chiozza (12.3), G KeVaughn Allen (11.3), F Keith Stone (8.4), F Egor Koulechov (14.4), C Kevarrius Hayes (5.4)
RPI: 23
KenPom: 20
Last game: Won at Kentucky 66-64 on Saturday
Notes: Jalen Hudson came off the bench to average 19 points and seven rebounds in two games last week. Florida’s sixth man – and reigning SEC Player of the Week – leads the Gators in scoring. … The Gators, at plus-4.8, lead the SEC in turnover margin. Their 13.9 percent turnover rate is third-best in the country. … Chiozza leads the SEC in assists, assist-to-turnover ratio and is second in steals.
STORYLINES
1. Rematch
Wednesday features the only scheduled rematch this basketball season from the final three rounds of the 2017 NCAA Tournament.
But while Florida has several key players back from last year’s Elite Eight matchup – Chiozza, Allen, Hayes, etc. – the Gamecocks are rolling with a less experienced crew. Only Kotsar and Silva contributed to that East Regional title.
2. Should it become a free throw contest …
The Gamecocks could be in trouble.
Florida is third in the SEC in free throw percentage. Chiozza, the Gators’ primary ball handler, is shooting 89.5 percent from the line – and that makes him only third-best on the team. Koulechov leads the SEC in FT percentage (94.3) and Allen (91.2) is right behind him.
USC leads the SEC in FT attempts (486), but is 12th in percentage (67.3). Gamecock opponents are averaging 23.1 FT attempts a game.
3. Due for a breakthrough?
South Carolina has now gone nine games since it last shot 40 percent or better from the field. The Gators are 11th in the SEC in field goal percentage defense, allowing opponents to make 43.5 percent of their attempts.
USC is 8-0 this season when it hits 40 percent.
This story was originally published January 23, 2018 at 1:10 PM.