Here’s the one voter who ranked South Carolina in the AP poll ... and why she did so
In a span of two weeks, South Carolina basketball has gone from a below-.500 non-conference performer to the top of the SEC.
USC’s 3-0 start to league play has caught the attention of prominent media names in the sport, including Dick Vitale, Jeff Goodman and Jon Rothstein.
On Monday, though, the buzz reached a new level. The Gamecocks, despite an overall record of 8-7, found themselves in the “others receiving votes” section of the Associated Press Top 25 poll. They received six points, thanks to one voter ranking USC No. 20 in her poll.
Her name is Kayla Anderson, a reporter for WKRN-TV in Nashville. The State reached out to Anderson for an explanation. She graciously responded with the following email:
“I’ve covered college basketball around the country — from the Big Sky, Big Ten, Pac-12 and SEC.
“I’ve been extremely impressed with the growth of SEC basketball in the last few years and so I think if anything the competition game to game within conference play is solid. The Gamecocks are 3-0 to start SEC play and beat a ranked Mississippi State team.
“While there were some tough losses in non-conference play, the Gamecocks still played a tough schedule. I believe this team is trending in the right direction right now.
“USC is finding its identity, playing quick and scoring points. Right now we’re seeing some inconsistency as teams have entered conference play all over the country. I think Frank Martin team has been consistent and therefore worthy of a top 25 ranking.”
Monday’s poll features three teams the Gamecocks have already played — No. 2 Michigan, No. 4 Virginia and No. 24 Mississippi State — and four others they will play — No. 3 Tennessee, No. 12 Kentucky, No. 14 Auburn and No. 18 Ole Miss.
Anderson’s vote means Carolina has now been recognized by the AP poll — in some capacity — for a fifth consecutive season.
The Gamecocks return to action Wednesday at Vanderbilt (9-6, 0-3). Tip-off is 7 p.m.
NEXT GAME
Who: South Carolina at Vanderbilt
When: 7 p.m. Wednesday
Where: Memorial Gymnasium in Nashville
TV: SEC Network
This story was originally published January 14, 2019 at 6:09 PM.
