Frank Martin returned from the LSU loss to an encouraging sight from the Gamecocks
For the first time in nearly a month, Frank Martin on Sunday came to the office after a loss.
Not only did South Carolina fall at LSU on Saturday, the Gamecocks, according to their coach, were “just awful” in a 22-point pummeling. The Gamecocks got dunked on 10 times, they had 20 fewer rebounds than the Tigers and got eight minutes out of their most accomplished player.
The streaking USC team that surprised the SEC through the first two weeks of league play failed to show up in Baton Rouge. LSU, a bunch that’s now ranked after a 14th win in 17 tries, showed why it could challenge Tennessee for the league crown while Carolina looked more like the team that struggled through most of December.
But a Sunday scene has Martin encouraged about the Gamecocks as they enter a Tuesday home clash with No. 16 Auburn (13-4, 2-2 SEC).
“Practice was at 2, I probably got in here about 11,” Martin said Monday at Colonial Life Arena, “and they were all sitting in the conference room watching the game film on their own.
“They care. We got a fun group of guys. I wasn’t real happy with them on Saturday, but that doesn’t mean that they’re not a really good group of guys. I think we’ll play a lot better (Tuesday).”
South Carolina (9-8, 4-1) won its first four SEC games by a combined 20 points. A furious rally capped by an incredible play helped the Gamecocks beat Florida, the Mississippi State result needed overtime, the Missouri win was aided by the Tigers’ center fouling out early in the second half and USC hit its final 12 free throws to squeak past Vanderbilt.
Such little things didn’t happen at LSU.
“We didn’t really execute from the beginning of the game,” said freshman guard A.J. Lawson, who led the Gamecock with 18 points. “And that just led on during the game. We didn’t execute properly offensively and defensively.”
“Our defense wasn’t there,” added senior guard Tre Campbell.
South Carolina has given up 77.2 points per game in SEC play, good for 12th in the league. The Gamecocks, as of Monday, are 92nd nationally in defensive efficiency, according to KenPom. Martin’s previous four teams have averaged a No. 21 final ranking in that category.
“From Mississippi State to Missouri,” Martin said, “I don’t think we defended as well. From Missouri to Vanderbilt, I thought we defended worse. And then Vanderbilt to LSU, we were really bad defensively. And by bad, it doesn’t mean we didn’t play hard. It just means we weren’t connected with the stuff we put in the scouting report and our disciplines — who belongs where when the ball’s in certain areas.
“We kind of just slipped there.”
It was the way that the Gamecocks lost at LSU that had Martin down. Chris Silva fouled out for a second straight game, USC attempted 18 fewer free throws than the Tigers made and Tremont Waters, the LSU player at the top of Carolina’s scouting report, dictated game flow without much challenge.
“So (Sunday), I said, ‘We’re gonna fix this,’” Martin said. “So went pretty hard (Sunday). They were great, were in good spirits.”
Carolina hasn’t dropped consecutive games since Dec. 19-22. Auburn, which fell to Kentucky on Saturday, hasn’t dropped consecutive games since February of last year.
“The last month is irrelevant when it came to Saturday,” Martin said. “But how we responded (Sunday), that tells me ... we got a real good group of guys that are trying to figure it out.”
Minaya update: Injured swingman Justin Minaya could return to practice early next week, Martin said.
“That’s not a doctor, that’s not a trainer,” Martin said. “That’s just my gut, watching where he’s at right now.”
Minaya, a sophomore who’s been sidelined since November knee surgery, could still take a medical redshirt this season. His return for games is TBD.
